We often discuss the variables that play a role in farm prices, particularly grain prices and interest rates. However, there are many other factors that help shape the market as well and one of those is government programs. A recent article published on the University of Illinois Farm Doc Daily website highlights the impact of direct…
Month: May 2015
Farmland Values Remain Steady… For Now
The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago just released their 2015 First Quarter Agricultural Newsletter, and their survey of agricultural bankers during this time period showed little change in the average price of good farmland across the six state region. Surprisingly, especially considering the current prices of corn and soybeans, over half of these lenders believed…
2015 Farmland Returns
Forecasted profits for 2015 continue to look bleak for farmers and they will more than likely see the lowest returns of the last 5 years. A new article posted by Gary Schnitkey on the University of Illinois’ Farm Doc Daily (Farmland Returns in 2015) analyzes the hard numbers and where the financial outlook may end…
The Revised Agricultural Conservation Compliance Regulations
As part of the 1985 Farm Bill, the Congress implemented rules for farmers and landowners to follow if they wished to be receive government farm program payments in the future. These regulations focused on areas that were considered the most environmentally fragile – wetlands and highly erodible soils. Not all farmers were happy with these…
2015 Corn Revenue Expected to Decline For Another Year
For anyone associated with agriculture, it’s probably no surprise that many analysts are predicting another tight year for farmers. The price for corn has been cut in half from the high prices that were available in 2012/2013 (Close to $8/bushel down to less than $4 currently). This isn’t a new revelation, farmers dealt with falling…