Farmer Sentiment Reaches Highest Level Since 2021

Jun 06, 2025

By Ryan Hanrahan

Bloomberg’s Michael Hirtzer, Erin Ailworth, and Skylar Woodhouse reported Tuesday that “American farmer sentiment jumped to a four-year high, with growers betting on rising crop exports as the Trump administration pushes for more trade deals from Vietnam to Italy.”

“US President Donald Trump has pushed an America-first agenda that has hit crop exports. Top commodities buyer China currently has no sales on the books for US corn, soybeans or wheat to be shipped next season,” Hirtzer, Ailworth and Woodhouse reported. “Still, farmers are more optimistic, according to Purdue University and CME Group’s Ag Economy Barometer, which surveyed some 400 producers between May 12-16, just after the Trump administration announced ‘substantial progress’ toward a trade deal with China. The index hit a reading of 158, the highest since 2021.”

“A ‘skyrocketing’ number of farmers expect increased agricultural exports over the next five years, according to the survey. However, only 28% strongly agree that ‘free trade benefits agriculture and most other American industries’ — down from 49% of farmers who agreed with the statement when it was first posed back in November 2020,” Hirtzer, Ailworth and Woodhouse reported. “The results ‘provide additional evidence that producers’ views on trade have shifted,’ according to the barometer.”

Source : illinois.edu

Video: Midwest Weather Shock: Flash Drought Turns Into Heavy Rain Threat This Week (2026 Forecast)

A rapidly changing Midwest weather pattern is unfolding in 2026 as areas that recently slipped into abnormal dryness and flash drought conditions are now facing the threat of heavy rain and repeated storm systems.

After a wet spring erased early drought conditions, regions across Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and northern Missouri have quickly dried out again since mid-to-late May. Soil moisture is dropping fast, and crops like corn and soybeans are beginning to feel the stress of rising temperatures and lack of consistent rainfall. Now, weather models show a major shift.

A developing system moving in from the Northern Plains is expected to bring multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms, with the potential for locally heavy rainfall across the Midwest. While some areas may miss out, others could finally see much-needed relief from the growing dryness. In this video, we break down:

Current drought conditions across the Midwest

Why a flash drought is developing quickly

Timing and path of incoming storm systems

Which states are most likely to see heavy rain

How long this wet pattern could last

Will this rain end the drought or create new flooding risks? Watch the full forecast to find out.