As the Fed works to keep inflation under control, higher interest rates have been a big part of that strategy. Research shows the Fed’s ninth district, which includes several large farm states, has seen their rates double over the last couple of years.
“Since about early 2021, interest rates for ag producers have increased around 400 basis points, and what that equates to is four percent interest. To put it into perspective, in 2021, during renewal season, a lot of ag producers were getting around four-and-a-half to 4.6 percent interest rates for their production loans. Now, in 2023, they’re being charged about eight-and-a-half percent. That’s a pretty big increase over two years. In 2023, interest expenses for ag production loans in the district totaled about $840 million. Now, to put that in comparison, in 2021, interest expenses for ag production loans were $415 million. And then, in 2022, the total interest expense paid was $490 million. So, that total interest paid in 2023 is more than double from 2021, so that’s a very large increase in two years,” said Tait Berg.
The Fed reached out to local banks in the area and found the last time interest rates were this high was around 2007.
Jake Charleston, with Specialty Risk Insurance, joins us now for an industry update and advice for cattle producers as they consider options for managing the risks of a murky market.
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The National Milk Producers Federation will launch a new advocacy campaign to secure a final vote, urging House lawmakers to approve the bill as soon as they return from the Thanksgiving recess.
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Tyson’s Nebraska plant closure and falling Cattle on Feed numbers send cattle markets tumbling. Analysts warn of tighter supplies, weak margins, and rising global competition.
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A regional snapshot of harvest pace, crop conditions, logistics, and livestock economics across U.S. agriculture, prepared by RFD-TV Markets Specialist Tony St. James, for the week of Monday, November 24, 2025.
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One trader said the products entering the U.S. are primarily grind and trim, noting that the volume and type of beef, on its own, should not cause a major disruption. However, he says fund traders are reacting heavily to headlines rather than market realities.
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Farmers with unpaid Hansen-Mueller grain should verify delivery records immediately and file indemnity claims quickly, as coverage rules differ sharply by state.
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