NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD NEWS) — Small business confidence finished 2025 on firmer ground, offering cautious optimism for rural communities and farm-dependent economies entering 2026. The National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) reports its Small Business Optimism Index rose in December, remaining above its long-term average as uncertainty eased to its lowest level since mid-2024.
Improved expectations for business conditions drove much of the gain. That matters for rural lenders, ag retailers, equipment dealers, and Main Street businesses whose revenues rise and fall with farm income. Lower uncertainty suggests owners are beginning to plan beyond short-term survival and toward stabilization.
Taxes emerged as the top concern among small businesses, a particularly sensitive issue in rural America where land values, equipment investments, and property tax exposure are significant. Inflation worries eased slightly, and fewer businesses reported plans to raise prices, suggesting some relief on the input-cost side.
Labor availability remains a persistent challenge. Roughly one-third of owners reported unfilled job openings, reflecting ongoing workforce shortages in rural areas. Even so, capital spending improved, with more businesses investing in equipment and vehicles—a positive signal for ag service providers and machinery markets.
While challenges remain, NFIB economists note growing confidence that conditions in 2026 may improve modestly compared with the volatility of recent years.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Rising rural business confidence supports local ag economies, but taxes and labor shortages remain key constraints.
Tony St. James, RFD NEWS Markets Specialist
In this
Firm to Farm blog post, RFD-TV agri-legal expert Roger McEowen tackles a handful of topics related to property rights.
April 01, 2024 01:55 PM
·
What is “gross income from farming” for purposes of Chapter 12 (farm) bankruptcy – that is the topic of today’s
Firm to Farm blog post by Roger McEowen.
March 12, 2024 11:34 AM
·
In today’s Firm to Farm blog post, Roger McOwen breaks down the Court’s regulations on unconstitutional federal power and the ruling’s impact on BOI reporting.
March 11, 2024 03:00 PM
·
The topic of this Firm to Farm blog post by RFD-TV agri-legal expert Roger McEowen is a potpourri of legal issues facing farmers and ranchers—farm bankruptcy, sovereign immunity, farm leases, and pipeline damages.
March 07, 2024 06:51 PM
·
What can these facilities do to protect themselves? I wrote about this issue last spring, and since that time, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has issued a significant opinion. That makes an update in order.
February 28, 2024 11:04 AM
·
Updated Dicamba information is the topic of today’s Firm to Farm blog post by RFD-TV’s agri-legal expert Roger McEowen with the Washburn School of Law.
February 27, 2024 11:19 AM
·
On January 31, the U.S. House overwhelmingly passed tax legislation containing provisions of importance to farmers and ranchers in particular and many taxpayers in general.
February 26, 2024 02:49 PM
·
In this Firm to Farm blog post by RFD-TV legal expert Roger McEowen, he looks ahead at what might be the biggest issues in ag law and tax in 2024.
February 23, 2024 01:50 PM
·
In part seven of his blog series,"Top 10 Developments in Ag Law and Tax in 2023,” agri-legal expert Roger McEowen covers the #1 issues, SCOTUS and defining a “Water of the United States.”
February 22, 2024 01:15 PM
·
