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.
For producers, success this season will require more than just a clean field; it will require meticulous record-keeping, a proactive written mitigation plan, and a constant eye on both the forecast and the federal docket.
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HTS Commodities’ Lewis Williamson provides updates on how growers are preparing for spring planting in an unpredictable agricultural landscape.
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RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney explains how geopolitical developments in the Middle East can create energy-driven pressures that impact the supply chain and reshape demand for certain ag products.
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Jake Charleston of Specialty Risk Insurance offers his perspective on current cattle market conditions and shares advice for producers seeking to stay protected in an uncertain market.
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National Pork Producers Council incoming president Rob Brenneman shares insights from the National Pork Industry Forum in Kansas City, where producers gathered to discuss Farm Bill policy, sustainability, and other priorities for the year ahead.
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