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US farmers’ sentiment improves in Purdue/CME Ag barometer survey
The Index of Future Expectations jumped 11 points in August, while the Farm Capital Investment Index fell 5 points to 45.
For the first time since June 2025, respondents in the August Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer survey said they expect their operations to be financially better off a year from now, helping lift US farmer sentiment from 126 in July to 135 in August, according to World Grain.
The survey’s Index of Future Expectations increased 11 points, but the Index of Current Conditions rose only 1 point. Optimism about export prospects over the next five years also improved, reaching 140, the highest since December 2025, while higher input costs remained the biggest concern.
World Grain reports that the Farm Financial Performance Index rose from 90 at the beginning of the year to 103 in August, signaling greater optimism for the next 12 months. Despite that gain, the Farm Capital Investment Index declined by 5 points to 45.
The survey, conducted among 402 US farmers Aug. 10 to 14, found that 65% view farmland as a good investment, with alternative investments, interest rates, and inflation cited as the biggest influences on farmland values. It also showed producers ranking production skills as the highest return on investment, while strategic planning emerged as the top area to improve and the leading use case for artificial intelligence.