Latest News From Cost of Production

In the study, Iowa farmers, custom operators and farm managers shared their average pricing for common agricultural services such as tillage, spraying and fertilizer application.

Industry experts share what to include in a financial plan and where they'd consider making room in the budget.

Experts are watching global dynamics to understand the input market’s longer-term outlook in the U.S. Among their top concerns are geopolitics, weather and low supply.

Some fields have a spot that consistently does not produce, but don't ignore those acres. If 156 acres average 200 bu. per acre, but 4 acres average 20 bu., the yield on the 160-acre field drops to 195.5 bu. per acre.

“We’re living in a world where it’s just a matter of time,” Harlan Asmus says referencing the development of resistance.

Alan Hoskins, president of American Farm Mortgage, shares his expectations for the economy and how it changes the buying process.

USDA NASS has released the 2022 Census of Agriculture data, which revealed important information about the current state of agriculture.

The barometer reported its lowest reading since May 2023, falling seven points from December and 24 points from January 2023.

Jim Rothermich of Iowa Appraisals shares what he expects from land values in the year ahead.

ICIS senior fertilizer editor Mark Milam shares that while the fertilizer market appears to be in good shape at the moment, there are a couple of important trends moving forward this spring.

In early January, Illinois crop budgets were revised for 2024. Farmers are predicted to lose $135 to $160 per acre for corn and $20 to $107 per acre for soybeans. What’s a farmer to do when news is a punch in the gut?

Shay Foulk shares six ways to mitigate loss and plan to pilot through tough years.

Jerry Gulke says a strong return to Marketing 101, last seen during the 1980s, may be on the horizon. 

In their January 2024 land values report, Farmers National Company shared that the sharp increase in farmland values has slowed, and values are holding strong.

Red clover can fix nitrogen, suppress weeds and improve crop yields. Based on test plot research in Illinois, a good stand of red clover can provide between 50 and 100 pounds of nitrogen per acre.

The latest barometer, which is based on an economic sentiment survey of 400 agricultural producers each month, recorded a reading of 114 – down 1 point compared to a month earlier. 

“I’m shooting for consistent averages around 75 or 80 bushels without stacking inputs,” says Matt Griggs. “ROI don’t lie.”

The Fertilizer Research Act has been introduced by three senators to require USDA to study competition and trends in the fertilizer market.

The report shares markets are at a crossroads—prices could move in either direction.

CoBank has released their 2024 outlook report, which takes a look at the key themes the organization expects to shape agricultural and the rural economy in the coming year.

Looking at the farm economy as well as lending conditions, over 260 ag lenders ranked their top 12 concerns for what institutions and producers are facing.

We asked some of our previous Top Producer of the Year awardees to share a bit about what’s happening on their farming operations — looking at both the past year and out on the horizon.

Researchers found a significant relationship between capital costs and farmer-held inventory.

Peoples Company has released its fourth annual land values report with data broken into geographical regions across the U.S.

Jay Graham of Western Crop Advisors highlights how the production of apples, almonds, grapes and more sets up growers to make decisions based on unique considerations.

When a Tennessee farming family decided to build a small rice mill, they triggered a suburban uproar and social media war.

According to a recent report from CoBank, an abundance of corn and soybeans has resulted in cheaper basis and bigger carries in futures markets.

Layering federal and private conservation programs has potential to add extra cash to your bottom line.

Regardless of preferences or past assumptions on storage, Shay Foulk encourages growers to run the numbers to see if new or more storage makes sense in their operations.

The Last Acre Act would help expand high-speed internet access across eligible farmland, ranchland and farm sites. At least 15% of farms and ranches have no access to the internet today. 

North Dakota auction company announces new record-high land sale for cropland in the northeast corner of the state at $17,500 per acre, while in Iowa farmland sales are starting to cool off.

Samuel Taylor, senior analyst for farm inputs at Rabobank, shares what to watch for the fertilizer, seed and crop protection price outlook.

Several factors are leading economists to believe the price of corn will keep ethanol profits steady in the near future.

Bart Fischer, co-director of the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M, spotlights two topics that will be updated in the next farm bill.

Knowing your cost of production allows you to make changes — you can’t improve what you don’t measure.

Findings from CoBank's new quarterly report provides updates on the U.S. economy and agricultural markets.

Two organizations share why we may see a decline in cash rent values in 2024.

The results of the Realtors Land Institute - Iowa Chapter's September Land Trends and Values Survey show a decline in the rate of land value increase.

A pair of plows crafted by the hands of John Deere, and possibly the first to break dirt west of the Mississippi, rest on an Iowa farm.

As extreme weather events affect the profitability of agriculture, here are four areas to bring focus to the ripple effect.

Todd Westerfeld says five technologies, from pocketknife to section control, are invaluable across his farm on a day-to-day basis.

While ag loan balances are up, they remain in good shape with delinquency levels low.

Remember: Weeds that never emerge have no impact on yield.

Josh Linville, director of fertilizer at StoneX, talks fundamentals in the fertilizer market.

Whether you have a low-cost operation, a highly leveraged operation or are somewhere in between, it's a good idea to run an ROI analysis to understand just how good or bad marketing opportunities are at any time.

Experts anticipate better prices and supplies to end 2023 after the surge in 2022 made for some of the most expensive crops ever.

On a planet with more people than ever before, the discovery of phosphate means that fertilizer will remain a viable food production tool for most of the rest of the century.

Nonconformity is nature in Bill Jones’ triple-cropping world. “This is about ROI, hitting yield averages, and taking care of my soil,” says Jones. “Home runs are fine, but they’re for somebody else to chase.”

According to Columbia University, 90% of the world’s mined phosphate is used as fertilizer in ag. Morocco supplies 34% of the world’s traded phosphate rock, but this dynamic could change with Norge Mining’s discovery.

“Food inflation has definitely started to slow down, and this is good news for consumers. However, it still won’t be cheaper to celebrate the Fourth of July,” says Dr. Michael Swanson, Wells Fargo Agricultural Economist