A Federal Reserve survey found agriculture conditions across the Corn Belt improved slightly, but generally remained strained.

Overall agricultural conditions in the Corn Belt continue to be dampened by lower commodity prices, higher input costs and tighter credit.

Farmland values in the Midwest were flat in the second quarter of 2026 compared to a year ago, according to a 7th Federal Reserve District report.

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Agricultural conditions were unchanged or declined in most of the Federal Reserve Districts, while cost pressures intensified from fuel and fertilizer spikes.

The 7th Federal Reserve District’s “good” farmland values increased 3% year over year, but dipped 1% over the last two quarters on average.

There’s heightened concern across the Corn Belt due to the surge in fertilizer and fuel prices, combined with a volatile commodity market.

With farmers capturing only a small share of the food dollar, even modest swings in commodity prices or increases in input costs can quickly strain farm finances.

Agricultural economic conditions are mostly flat since mid-January across the Corn Belt’s Federal Reserve Districts, according to a survey.

Farmland values increased 2% in the last quarter of 2025 and were up 6% year-over-year in the 7th Federal Reserve District.

The U.S. cattle and beef industry enters 2026 with strong but volatile market conditions, as historically tight cattle supplies, record-setting beef demand and elevated policy and weather uncertainty continue to support prices, even as markets appear to near cyclical highs.

Agricultural economic conditions are largely unchanged from mid-November through early January, according to surveys conducted across Federal Reserve Districts in the Corn Belt.

With lower grain prices, higher interest rates and increased production costs, some farms are facing a challenging financial situation.

Agricultural conditions remained strained but slightly improved over the last six weeks, according to a survey across the Corn Belt’s Federal Reserve Districts.

Farmland values were unchanged from the second to third quarter of 2025 in the Seventh Federal Reserve District and up 3% year-over-year.

Agricultural conditions across the Corn Belt are strained in part due to concerns about China’s elimination of soybean purchases and low crop prices, according to a Federal Reserve survey.

Crop prices and trade policies remain among the top concerns across Corn Belt districts for the fourth straight Federal Reserve survey.

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The agricultural economic outlook across the Corn Belt’s Federal Reserve Districts remain subdued.

Corn Belt agricultural conditions ranged from weak to slightly favorable in the latest Federal Reserve’s Beige Book.

In the first quarter of 2025, the 7th Federal Reserve District’s agricultural land values saw a 1% increase from a year ago, and “good” farmland values rose 4% from the fourth quarter of 2024 on average across five states.

Agricultural economic conditions remained relatively weak across the Corn Belt, driven by concerns over drought conditions, trade, balance sheets and the lack of farm bill clarity.

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After a four-year run of substantial gains, agricultural land values in the Seventh Federal Reserve District saw a 1% annual decrease.

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Though growth in economic activity was generally small, expectations for growth rose moderately across most geographies and sectors across the Federal Reserve Districts.

For the first time since the end of 2019, farmland values in the 7th Federal Reserve District did not see a year-over-year increase.

The U.S. agriculture sector is responsible for nearly 6% of the nation’s gross national product, yet it is operating on farm bill policy set six years ago.

The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate by a quarter-point in response to the steady decline in the once-high inflation that had angered Americans and helped drive Donald Trump’s presidential election victory.

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Agricultural economic activity has been flat to down modestly since early September, with some crop prices remaining unprofitably low.

The stories across the Corn Belt’s Federal Reserve Districts mirrored one another in the agriculture sector with concerns over lower commodity prices and favorable crop conditions.

Farmland values for the Seventh Federal Reserve District increased 2% in the second quarter of 2024 from a year earlier, marking the smallest year-over-year gain since the third quarter of 2020.

To gain a better perspective in the current November and December futures price volatility, a soybean trade specialist noted historic parallels in the past 20 years, buyer opportunities and demand potentials.

Agricultural conditions varied in tandem with sporadic droughts across the Federal Reserve districts, but concerns over crop price declines were common in all corners of the Corn Belt.

Agricultural reports across Federal Reserve Districts in the Corn Belt were mixed, as drought conditions eased in some districts, but farm finances and incomes remained a concern.

Farmland values in the Seventh Federal Reserve District averaged a 4% increase from a year ago, the smallest year-over-year gain in three and a half years.

While overall economic activity expanded slightly since late February, ag sector concerns remain due to income prospects and weather.

Overall economic activity increased slightly since early January, with eight of the 12 Federal Reserve districts reporting slight to modest growth while ag conditions dipped, according to the latest Beige Book.

Farmland values in the Seventh Federal Reserve District are slowing down from double-digit increases of the last couple years to single-digit annual percentage increases.

Agricultural economists provided an economic forecast for 2024 in the Purdue Agricultural Economics Report’s annual outlook.

Agricultural conditions ranged from steady to slightly worse, according to the latest Federal Reserve Beige Book.

On the first business day of the new year, Missouri Treasurer Vivek Malek began accepting applications for about $120 million of state-subsidized, low-interest loans to small businesses, farmers and affordable housing developers.

Productivity is just one of many factors that impact the price of farmland. “The drivers of farmland value are unique to the area,” said Mykel Taylor, associate professor and Alfa Endowed Eminent Scholar at Auburn University.

Although indicators pointed to a recession in 2023, the U.S. economy has grown during this year.

Agricultural conditions improved or deteriorated slightly since the previous Beige Book report in October, depending on the Federal Reserve district.