Rural Mainstreet Index

The May Rural Mainstreet Index fell below the growth-neutral (a reading of 50.0) for the 19th time in the past 20 months.  The ten-state region covered by the Index came in at 44 during May, up from 40 in April.   “According to the bank CEOs in our survey, the economic outlook for 2025 farm income remains weak,” said Ernie Goss of Creighton University. “Almost one in four bankers ra...

The overall Rural Mainstreet Index fell below growth neutral in March.  This marks the 18th time that’s happened in the past 19 months.   When comparing 2025 farm income against 2024 farm income, only 3.7% of bankers expect an increase, while 63% predict an income drop.  For the tenth time...

The January 2025 Rural Mainstreet Index fell below growth neutral for the 16th time in the past 17 months.   For the eighth time in the past nine months, farmland prices took a tumble.  On average, bank CEOs who responded to the monthly survey expect annual cash rents of $278 per acre of non-irrigated, non-pasture farmland.  Farm equipme...

After advancing above growth neutral in November for the first time since 2023, the overall Rural Mainstreet Index sank below the 50.0 reading in December.  That’s according to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a ten-state region dependent on agriculture or energy.  The index fell fro...

For the 13th consecutive month, the Rural Mainstreet Index sank below growth neutral.  That’s according to a September survey of rural bank CEO’s.  The reading sank from 40.9 in August to 37.5 in September.  That is the lowest level for the Rural Mainstreet Index since the COVID Pandemic began in spring 2020.  The index ranges from 0 to 100, wi...

The Latest Rural Mainstreet Index shows rising input prices as the top threat in 2022 for farmers. Released Thursday, the index declined in January, though it remained above growth neutral for the 14th straight month. Overall, the region's reading for January fell to 61 ...

The Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index climbed above growth neutral for the fifth time in the past six months. The monthly survey of bank CEOs in a ten-state region dependent on agriculture and energy shows the index increased to its highest level since the survey launched in 2006 ...

The Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index climbed above growth neutral in June.  The monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a 10-state region dependent on agriculture shows a positive growth in the region.   “Higher agricultural commodity prices and rebuilding from recent floods boosted the RMI for the month,” says Dr. Ernie Goss, founder ...

The Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index climbed above growth neutral in August for a seventh straight month. The monthly survey of bank CEO’s in ten Midwestern states climbed to 54.8 from 53.8 in July. The index ranges between 0 and 100 with 50.0 rep...

The Rural Mainstreet Index has been steadily climbing over the last four months, signaling improving conditions in farm country.  However, the man behind the RMI, Ernie Goss from Creighton University, said he has his eyes on two issues; trade and interest rates.  A Farm ...