Farm Sentiment Is Up… So Why Are Farmers Still Worried?
Farmer sentiment improved in March—but the underlying pressures in the farm economy haven’t gone away.
In this episode of the Purdue Commercial AgCast, Joana Colussi and Michael Langemeier break down the March 2026 Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. Despite rising input costs and global uncertainty tied to geopolitical conflict, farmer sentiment moved higher—driven in part by stronger crop prices and government payments.
But the improvement comes with important caveats.
Tight margins, rising breakeven costs, and shifting risk priorities are shaping how farmers approach investment, production, and long-term strategy.
More importantly, these signals highlight how producers are balancing short-term optimism with longer-term uncertainty.
In this episode, we discuss:
• What’s driving the recent increase in farmer sentiment
• How $35/acre payments and higher corn prices are influencing outlook
• Why only 4% of farmers plan to increase machinery purchases
• How rising input costs are impacting breakeven prices and profitability
• Why financial risk has overtaken marketing risk for many farms
• What farmers expect for inflation and interest rates in the year ahead
• How solar leasing is evolving across regions and land markets
• What’s driving farmland value expectations in 2026
📊 Read the full Ag Economy Barometer report:
https://purdue.ag/barometer126
🎧 Subscribe so you don’t miss future updates on the farm economy:
https://www.youtube.com/PurdueCenterforCommercialAg
In this episode:
00:00 – Why Farmer Sentiment Is Rising (But Risks Are Growing)
01:09 – March 2026 Ag Economy Barometer: Key Results Explained
02:10 – What’s Driving Higher Farmer Sentiment Right Now?
04:13 – Why Farmers Are NOT Buying Equipment in 2026
05:56 – Input Costs Are Rising Again: Biggest Risk for Farmers
08:01 – Inflation & Interest Rate Outlook: What Farmers Expect
09:36 – Financial Risk Overtakes Marketing Risk (What It Means)
10:25 – Solar Leasing on Farmland: Growing Trend or Hype?
13:16 – Farmland Values Outlook: Will Land Prices Keep Rising?
16:07 – Are Farmers More Optimistic About the U.S. Economy?
18:10 – Final Takeaways: What Farmers Should Watch Next
—
Follow the Purdue Center for Commercial Agriculture:
X: https://x.com/PUCommercialAg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PUCommercialAg
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-for-commercial-agriculture/
Website: https://purdue.edu/commercialag
—
Sign up for our newsletter: https://purdue.ag/CCAsubscribe
A note from us to you, few times a week, sharing simple, practical ways to keep your farm business informed.
—
Listen to The Purdue Commercial AgCast Podcast 🎧 New episodes drop every Wednesday!
https://purdue-commercial-agcast/spotify
https://purdue-commercial-agcast/applepodcasts
https://purdue-commercial-agcast/podbean
