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.
Tyson expects another year of beef-segment losses due to tight cattle supplies, even as chicken, pork, and prepared foods strengthen overall margins.
November 11, 2025 01:26 PM
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Export strength is concentrated in corn and wheat, while soybeans and sorghum lag, keeping basis and logistics dynamics highly commodity-specific into late fall.
November 11, 2025 11:21 AM
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Pasture, Rangeland and Forage (PRF) interval selection—not just participation—drives protection levels as rainfall patterns become less predictable across the South.
November 11, 2025 11:06 AM
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A smaller U.S. turkey flock and resurgent avian flu have tightened supplies, driving prices higher even as other key holiday foods show mixed trends.
November 10, 2025 03:05 PM
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ARC/PLC, marketing loans, and crop insurance each matter at different points in the price cycle — and the new Farm Bill strengthens the balance among them.
November 10, 2025 01:38 PM
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With port fees now lifted, economists believe that could help ease tensions. However, American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) economist Faith Parum said trade deals with smaller Asian countries are helping stabilize the ag economy.
November 10, 2025 11:36 AM
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