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Crop production competition with Brazil isn’t expected to slow down anytime soon

A professor at Purdue University says competition for crop production between Brazil and the U.S. isn’t slowing down anytime soon. 

Joana Colussi, assistant professor at Purdue University, says Brazil has expanded its agricultural production each year.

“Many farmers have found cost opportunities to increase their area for agriculture, especially with soybeans,” she says. “The cost of ag land in the United States is much higher than it is in Brazil.”

But, she tells Brownfield Brazilian farmers are facing tighter profit margins.

“Brazil is very behind the United States in terms of infrastructure,” she says. “The interest rates in Brazil are also around 15 percent per year, but in some cases, farmers pay more than that.”

Colussi says although Brazil is expected to decrease it’s soybean exports to China in 2026, crop production will continue to expand.

Brownfield interviewed Colussi during the 2026 Purdue Top Farmer Conference.

AUDIO: Joana Colussi, Purdue University