Bankers from across the country are warning tough conversations are ahead.
In a Senate Ag Committee hearing this week, one loan officer testified capital is running out across farm country.
“What we’re seeing is continued significant earned network losses across the board. Talking to lenders down in that area, and as well as what I’m seeing in the Midwest, is certain parts of the Southeast part of the country are on year 2-3, if not 4, of losses and having two bankers are starting to work out plans, and having uncomfortable conversations on ‘what is the end game here?’ When I look at the Midwest coming through renewal season, we were able to get all of our renewals completed this year, but those conversations are ‘what is the burn rate of working capital?’ It’s creeping up on us much faster,” said Caleb Hopkins with First Dakota National Bank.
While there could be a rocky road ahead, producer sentiment is up. Economists with Purdue University say the ag economy barometer rose 11 points last month. However, the report showed little change in how producers feel about future prospects.
The 2022 Census of Agriculture revealed a more than 30% decrease in U.S. dairy farms since 2017. The shrinking industry is now uniting to advocate for itself while also adopting technology to reduce operational strain.
September 10, 2025 12:55 PM
·
The September WASDE report comes out on Friday at Noon ET. As always, we’ll bring you those numbers right here on Market Day Report along with our expert
September 10, 2025 11:44 AM
·
September 10, 2025 10:22 AM
Labor is an ongoing crisis in the ag sector. One industry group outlines three vital reforms to the H-2A visa program that farmers need to secure an affordable, stable workforce.
September 09, 2025 12:22 PM
·
Lewie Pugh, with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, joined us on Monday’s Market Day Report with his insights on the incident and a deeper dive into the issues at hand.
September 08, 2025 12:00 PM
·
Co-Bank Lead Dairy Economist, Corey Geiger, joined us on Friday’s
Market Day Report for a further look at the drop in replacement heifers and the trend’s longterm impact on dairy producers and cattle prices.
September 05, 2025 12:40 PM
·
