NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — Low prices and high costs do not make idling a real option for most farm and ranch operations, argues Dr. Joe Outlaw of Texas A&M’s Agricultural & Food Policy Center in an interview with Southern Ag Today.
So, “If Crop Returns are so Bad, Why Do Farmers Keep Planting?”
Shutting down guarantees zero cash flow to service debt, payroll, and family living, while ceding global market share to competitors who would quickly ramp up output.
Switching crops is not a simple fix either: many crops now pencil similarly thin or negative, multiyear rotations protect soil health and weed control, and equipment and storage are often crop-specific.
Outlaw adds that farmers are uniquely optimistic—planting with the expectation that weather, basis, and prices can improve by harvest—and that the profession is an identity, not just a job.
The upshot: producers keep planting to preserve business continuity, agronomic systems, and future market position, even when spreadsheets look grim. That’s also why Congress and administrations have long supported agriculture when risks beyond farmers’ control overwhelm margins.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Planting sustains cash flow, rotations, and market share—even in lean years.
Tony St. James, RFD-TV Markets Expert
RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney explains how conflict in the Middle East is affecting spring planting as farmers navigate the evolving situation.
March 23, 2026 01:35 PM
·
The Mosaic Company’s Keith Byerly shares smart input investment strategies, fertilizer considerations, and ways growers can manage risk heading into the 2026 growing season.
March 23, 2026 12:56 PM
·
NCGA Chief Economist Krista Swanson discusses the evolving role of ethanol in the current energy crisis, opportunities for expanding corn discusses the evolving role of ethanol in the current marketdemand, and the industry’s outlook moving forward.
March 23, 2026 12:04 PM
·
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller launches Agricultural Defense Program to combat pests, disease, and predators threatening farmers and ranchers statewide.
March 23, 2026 10:40 AM
·
USDA Cattle-on-Feed report for March shows slightly lower inventory and higher February placements, signaling a tighter supply but steady outlook for the U.S. cattle herd.
March 20, 2026 03:30 PM
·
A young exhibitor bring years of work and family tradition to the annual event.
March 20, 2026 02:02 PM
·
