Economists at the Kansas City Fed say that weaker crop prices over the past year have reduced farm income. That has led to lower loan repayment rates and more renewals and extensions. Last year, farm banks issued more than $115 billion in agricultural loans.
Meanwhile, farm bankruptcies are also on the rise. A University of Arkansas study shows more U.S. farms filed in the first three months of 2025 than in all of 2024.
Extension economist Ryan Loy says the 259 filings signal financial stress, similar to that seen in 2018 and 2019. He points to low commodity prices and higher costs for seed, fertilizer, and diesel.
Related Stories
A U.S. Federal District Court upheld an Arizona rancher’s legal complaint against the Biden Administration’s decision to halt construction on a U.S.-Mexico border wall violated environmental law and the plaintiff’s property rights.
The German company Constellr is part of the John Deere Start-Up Collaborator Program in 2024. It plans to launch a geothermal satellite next year that will give farmers and ranchers better tools to monitor surface temperature from space.
In his latest Firm to Farm blog post, Ag Legal & Taxation Expert Roger McEowen examines contracts, insurance, and property rights and how those legal processes can impact your farm or ranch operation.
Digital contracts are becoming more common for farmers and ranchers, which means some unique legal issues might arise. RFD-TV’s farm legal expert Roger McEowen briefly examines those.
