By Bob Bragg
New economic surveys show rising farm debt, falling equipment sales, and growing financial stress for producers, as wolf programs add costs for western states.
The Rural Mainstreet Index is published monthly by Creighton University, and it reports on economic conditions in 10 north central states including Colorado. The February Index found that one-third of the region’s Bank CEOs reported that their local economies are in recession, farm equipment sales have continued to decline, and regional exports of agricultural goods are down by almost 2.5%. Also, 40% of bankers responding to the survey agreed that tariffs should be reversed.
Purdue University’s CME Group Ag Economy Barometer points out that the percentage of producers who expected that they would experience troubling financial times in the next twelve months increased from 47% in December 2025 to 59% in January 2026, while the percentage of producers who thought U.S. agriculture would have widespread bad times during the next five years increased from 24% to 46%. Half of the responding producers believed that their farm operations were worse off than a year ago, and that they were unlikely to make farm capital investments during the next 12 months, while only 4% of them were planning to purchase new farm machinery this year.
The Farm Journal Magazine’s January Ag Economists' Monthly Monitor survey of U.S agriculture, revealed that while there is strength in the livestock sector, particularly with beef cattle, most row crop producers are suffering from low market prices due to global surpluses of corn, soybeans, and wheat They also face high input costs, rising interest rates, and lenders that are imposing additional financial requirements for operating loans.
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