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Declining income expectations have farmers concerned about their financials

An ag economist says farmers are expressing more concern about their farm balance sheets for 2025.

Jim Mintert with Purdue’s Center for Commerical Ag tells Brownfield farmers surveyed in the latest Ag Economy Barometer are worried lower commodity prices are impacting operations. 

“Even with expectations for very strong yields in many locations, the strong yields are simply not going to outweigh the impact of lower prices,” he says. “You can see how people have gradually come to recognize that 2024 is going to be a week year in terms of financial performance.”

He says he’s concerned about the farm financial index.

“That index is now about as low as it’s ever been at reading of 68, 18 points lower than last year,” he says. “It’s one of the weakest farm financial performance ratings we’ve ever gotten.”

The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer is a nationwide measure of the health of the U.S. agricultural economy and surveys 400 agricultural producers on economic sentiment each month.

AUDIO: Jim Mintert, Purdue University

Photo provided by Purdue’s Center for Commerical Agriculture.