Borrowing costs are at the top of farmers’ minds as they get ready to plant for the year.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell left interest rates unchanged last week. Economists say it is anyone’s guess where the year will go, but warn you need to be prepared.
“I wish we had a crystal ball to know what’s next, and I would say that what you don’t want to do is just cross your fingers and hope interest rates keep falling. Not doing anything is just as risky as taking an all-in position either way. So what we’ve seen a lot of people do is somewhere meet in the middle where they try to get to a risk rate neutral stance where half the debts floating, half the debts fixed. If rates go up, great, you have protection in place. If rates keep falling, great, half the debt keeps on floating down lower, too,” said Josh Cannington with StoneX.
Carrington says it is important to make use of market tools, like swap options, which could allow farmers to choose which risks they want to take.
USDA data show that 2.1 million landlords rent out 347 million acres, emphasizing a rising dependence on leased farmland as owners age and land supply tightens. ASFMRA’s David Klein also shares his outlook on land trends in Illinois.
March 18, 2026 04:55 PM
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Geopolitical tensions in the Strait of Hormuz disrupt fertilizer shipments, raising costs and creating uncertainty for U.S. farmers ahead of planting season.
March 18, 2026 03:21 PM
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This year at CattleCon 2026, RFD Network’s Kirbe Schnoor caught up with Donna Emick from Pneu-Dart to get her perspective on why education, safety, and accountability matter in the field.
March 18, 2026 01:22 PM
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Nebraska’s largest wildfire on-record has burned 650,000 acres, with three other major fires also burning across the state, destroying pastureland and threatening cattle.
March 18, 2026 12:53 PM
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Producer input costs are rising faster than expected — and this latest PPI report does not reflect the last two weeks of geopolitical tension.
March 18, 2026 11:58 AM
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Acreage shifts could influence spring marketing decisions.
March 18, 2026 11:20 AM
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