Farm Production Costs to Hit Record Highs in 2027, USDA Says

Jun 24, 2026

By Ryan Hanrahan

Farm News Media reported that “USDA’s new 2027 cost of production forecast reveals farmers may not see meaningful relief from elevated production costs anytime soon. The projections show total production costs continuing to rise for most major crops, pushing all commodities to record highs — including corn at $952 per acre, soybeans at $701, sorghum at $477 and wheat at $428.”

“Compared to USDA’s earlier 2026 projections, total production costs were revised higher for every major crop included in the report,” Farm News Media reported. “In a new Market Intel report, American Farm Bureau Federation Economist Faith Parum said 2027 projected production costs are not being driven by fuel and fertilizer, but rather by higher prices for seed, chemicals, repairs, labor, machinery and cash rent expenses.”

“For many crops, projected 2027 costs exceed not only USDA’s previous forecasts but also the highs experienced during the supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures of the early 2020s,” Farm News Media reported. “Since 2005, total production costs have more than doubled for several major row crops, including soybeans (+165%), corn (+146%), and wheat (+106%).”

Source : illinois.edu

Video: Root Exudates, Soil Biology, and How Plants Recruit Microbes | Field Talk Friday

Field Talk Friday | Dr. John Murphy | Root Exudates, Soil Biology, and How Plants Recruit Microbes

Most of us spend our time managing what we can see above ground—plant height, leaf color, stand counts, and yield potential. But the deeper you dig into agronomy, the more you realize that some of the most important processes driving crop performance are happening just millimeters below the surface.

In this episode of Field Talk Friday, Dr. John Murphy continues the soil biology series by diving into one of the most fascinating topics in modern agronomy: root exudates and the role they play in shaping the microbial world around plant roots.

Roots are not passive structures simply pulling nutrients out of the soil. They are active participants in the underground ecosystem. Plants constantly release compounds into the soil—sugars, amino acids, organic acids, and other molecules—that act as both energy sources and signals for soil microbes.