Mixed Results: Ag economists are hoping for the best for the year ahead but it may take patience

Some ag analysts do not have the most optimistic outlook for the season ahead. Right now, they are watching several issues but say the bad times will not last forever.

“When you look at the crop sector of U.S. agriculture, we just have to work through these very large supplies. It sometimes takes us a while to do that, and so, even though prices are relatively low right now, in two to three years, we’ll probably be in a situation where crop prices are more similar to the break-even prices. The livestock sector, particularly the beef sector, is going to continue to do strong, and not only in 2025 but probably well into ’26,” said Michael Langemeier.

USDA’s most recent farm income forecast shows profits are set to increase for the first time this year since 2022. However, there is a catch, as those increases are largely due to the assistance package Congress passed late last year, and recently released by Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins.

Related Stories
Rail rulings, export terminal access, and equipment rules are becoming bigger factors in grain shipping costs and reliability.
Higher ocean freight rates can add export cost pressure even when grain demand remains active.
March pork gains lifted total meat production, but first-quarter output still ran below last year.
Weekly export movement stayed solid, with corn and sorghum continuing to show the strongest overall pace.
Austin Rice with Specialty Risk Insurance shares guidance on handling storm damage, navigating the insurance claims process, and managing risk during a volatile planting season.
Eric Weaver with UNL joins us to share about a promising new HPAI vaccine, early test results, next steps in development, and its potential impact on the livestock industry.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Jenna Paulette grew up working on her family’s ranch on the Oklahoma-Texas border. Her passion for agriculture can be heard in her debut album, released earlier this year.
CLAAS is pleased to announce its title sponsorship of the RFD-TV broadcast studios in Nashville, TN. The RFD-TV studios were officially recognized as the “CLAAS Studios” on July 3, 2023 further advancing the recognition of CLAAS as a leading large equipment manufacturer in North America.
Thursday, 8/17/23 – 10 PM ET | 9 PM CT | 8 PM MT | 7 PM PT
Legendary singer/songwriters Wynn Varble and Rory Feek bring together some of their favorite songs, stories, and songwriters each week for the second season of Muletown in the Round, an exciting music & entertainment program returning to RFD-TV!
Monday, 8/28/23 – 10 PM ET | 9 PM CT | 8 PM MT | 7 PM PT