Kevin McNew & German Mandrini
Kevin is a former Professor of Economics at the University of Maryland and Montana State University focusing on commodity markets. As an analyst, Kevin's unique commentary on cash markets can be seen weekly on Bloomberg, Dow Jones, Reuters and other publications.
German is a Data Scientist at FBN, working at the intersection of data science, agronomy, and finance. He comes from a family farm, and agriculture has guided much of his career. He holds a B.S. in agronomy, an M.S in agricultural economics, and a Ph.D. in crop sciences. He has more than ten years of experience working for different companies in the farming sector, including grain trading, input selling, farm management, and corn breeding.
Since 2020, U.S. farmland values have been increasing thanks to rising grain prices and low interest rates. According to the USDA’s recent Agricultural Land Values report , farmland values gained 12.4% in 2022 and are up a combined 20.2% over the past two years of bullish grain prices. (1) Yet ominous warning signs surround us in today’s uncertain economic environment. Will recent market turbulence impact farmland values? The U.S. economy is heading for turbulent times as stock prices swing, swelling housing prices reverse course, and 40-year high inflation forces the U.S. Federal Reserve to aggressively increase interest rates . The last time inflation was this high back in the 1980s (2), U.S. farm bankruptcies were widespread and farmland values plummeted. Fortunately, while farmland as an asset class is also influenced by interest rates, it often has less connectivity to broader economic signals and can therefore be somewhat insulated from the stiff headwinds plaguing the U.S. economy. Recent data from the USDA shows U.S. farmland values actually increased 12.4% between June 2021 and June 2022, but the future of such values still remains uncertain. As clouds loom over the U.S. economy, will they cast a shadow on the future of farmland’s impressive value growth to this point? Get the free report Get insight from FBN® experts in the latest FBN Research publication. Get your free copy today. Members can access this report and more in the Reports section of the FBN app. Capitalize on market opportunities with land loans from FBN Financial With U.S. farmland values looking up, it’s a great time to finance your farmland at a great rate with an experienced team that knows ag. By offering a new ag lending solution, FBN empowers farmers with flexible financing options to support their operation by providing competitive rates, a simple online application process, and exceptional service from loan advisors who average 15 years of ag finance experience. To get your rate, simply apply online today or contact an FBN financial advisor to assist in completing your application. Sources: USDA Ag Land Values August 2022. “Taking a look back at the 1980s farm crisis and it's impacts”. Farm Progress, August 22, 2016 . Copyright © 2014 - 2022 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, “Farmers Business Network” and “FBN” are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc. Financing offered by FBN Finance, LLC and its lending partners. Terms and conditions apply. To qualify, a borrower must be a member of Farmer’s Business Network, Inc. and meet all underwriting requirements. Interest rates and fees will vary depending on your individual situation. Not all applicants will qualify. Terms and conditions apply. Land financing offered by FBN Finance, LLC, provided in connection with Farmer Mac and our underwriting partners, and is available only where FBN Finance, LLC is licensed. To qualify, a borrower must be a member of Farmer’s Business Network, Inc., and meet the underwriting requirements of FBN Finance, LLC and its lending partners. All credit is subject to approval and underwriting. Interest rates and fees will vary depending on your individual situation. Not all applicants will qualify.