As farmers prepare for next season, there is a lot to consider.
The American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers says you need to think long term.
“Yeah, what I’m focused on is thinking beyond not only ’25 but into ’26 or ’27. We can’t just assume that things are going to bottom in and bounce back quickly. So, for my clients, we’re really looking at their farm operations, their land holdings, and deciding what’s most efficient, where we’re maybe losing some efficiencies and some returns and kind of making plans around that. They focus on getting back to the basics of marketing, along with a lot of farmers I deal with. You know, a lot of us would admit that the good times kind of got us spoiled on the thinking things would never change, and so we kind of got away from some of the basics of blocking and tackling for a football analogy. But basics and marketing are planning to go beyond ’25,” said George Baird.
Baird also says it is important to not rely on a new Farm Bill. While progress is being made on Capitol Hill, he says no one can assume when a five-year deal will be reached.
U.S. agriculture entered the week with mixed signals as weather, logistics, and markets shaped early-year decisions. Here is a regional breakdown of domestic crop and livestock production for the week of Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
January 19, 2026 11:40 AM
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RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey speaks with Texas’s Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez about USMCA renegotiation and its impact on U.S.–Mexico agriculture trade.
January 17, 2026 05:00 PM
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Rising rural business confidence supports local ag economies, but taxes and labor shortages remain key constraints.
January 17, 2026 02:00 PM
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CoBank Knowledge Exchange’s Jeff Johnston shares the group’s positive perspective on expanding data centers into rural areas and weighs the risks and rewards for those communities.
January 16, 2026 01:44 PM
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Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller joined us to discuss data center expansion, farmland preservation, rural economic impacts, and imminent cattle biosecurity concerns affecting agriculture today.
January 16, 2026 01:28 PM
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The Pennsylvania Farm Show continues through Saturday, wrapping up another successful year of celebrating agriculture in the Commonwealth.
January 16, 2026 01:26 PM
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