The updated farm economy guide offers tools to help Southern producers make informed financial and business decisions.
Farmers across the South are confronting tighter profit margins, rising production expenses and uncertain commodity markets, prompting agricultural economists at the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE) to provide practical strategies for managing the ongoing farm economy downturn, according to Jennifer Elwell, agriculture specialist at UK Martin-Gatton CAFE.
Six of the 36 agricultural economists who contributed to the Southern Extension Risk Management Education Center (SRMEC) publication, “Surviving the Farm Economy Downturn: 2026 Update,” are affiliated with Martin-Gatton CAFE.
The updated resource offers producers guidance on cattle markets, row-crop profitability, lender communication, bankruptcy, alternative crops, value-added marketing and long-term business resilience.
“Our specialists covered topics from cattle markets and row-crop profitability to lender communication, bankruptcy, alternative crops, value-added marketing and long-term farm resilience,” said Jennifer Hunter, associate dean for Extension and director of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. “Their contributions reflect the breadth of economic expertise available through the UK Extension.”
Jordan Shockley, Ph.D., an Extension professor in UK’s Department of Agricultural Economics, said the new publication expands on a resource created a decade ago.
Southern Extension economists recently recognized the need to update the material as producers have faced another period of financial pressure during the past several years.
“This is a great example of the working relationship we have in the Southern region,” Shockley said. “When issues arise for producers here, we get together and respond. The fact that we put this together in a couple of months shows the urgency of the issue and how close-knit and effective we are as economists in the Southeast.”
Supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the SRMEC update contains 24 peer-reviewed articles focused on helping farmers manage softer commodity prices and elevated production costs.
The publication emphasizes several key financial practices, including understanding production costs, communicating with lenders early, maintaining liquidity, evaluating risk and avoiding short-term choices that could weaken long-term farm viability.
Shockley noted that Southern agriculture is highly diverse, with producers raising livestock and growing crops such as cotton, peanuts and rice. While diversification can reduce exposure to individual markets, some operations remain under significant profitability pressure.
UK contributors include Shockley, Kenny Burdine, Grant Gardner, Jonathan Shepherd, Tyler Mark and Tim Woods. Their chapters cover livestock markets, farm management, crop profitability, lender relationships, bankruptcy, alternative crops, value-added opportunities and long-term resilience.
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