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.
The value of farmland across the central United States is influenced by a number of factors, including stability, a dynamic market, the willingness of buyers to pay a premium for the location, and crop direct income. By understanding these factors, farmers can make informed decisions about where to
Why Do Farmers Invest in On-farm Grain Storage? Farmers invest in on-farm storage for a number of reasons. First, having on-farm storage at harvest time can streamline operations by reducing the need to deliver to local elevators and therefore freeing up labor and equipment. Additionally, on-farm s
How Do Farmers Calculate Future Crop Yield? Crop yields are an essential factor in appraising farmland values, establishing rental arrangements, determining farm sale and loan values, and making assessments for taxation. However, because they are dependent on weather, soil and management conditions,
Many things have changed in the farm economy in recent months. Interest rates increased, inflation seems to be getting under control and farm income reached a record high in 2022, though it is expected to decrease in 2023 . How will these factors affect farmland values in 2023? How FBN® Data Science
Executive Summary The price of farmland in Illinois grew 25% year-on-year, commanding more than $10,300 per acre. This follows a 5% increase in 2021., High valuations brought a historically significant volume of acreage to the market in 2022, surpassing the previous record in 2021. These increases w
Executive Summary The price of farmland in Minnesota grew 25% year-on-year, commanding more than $6,200 per acre. This follows a 12% increase in 2021., High valuations brought a historically significant volume of acreage to the market in 2022, surpassing the previous record in 2021. These increases
Executive Summary The price of farmland in Iowa grew 17% year-on-year, commanding more than $11,100 per acre. This follows a similar 17% increase in 2021., High valuations brought a historically significant volume of acreage to the market in 2022, surpassing the previous record in 2021., These incre
Farmland values across the U.S. increased substantially in many regions last year. What drove this growth in farmland prices? Interest Rate Increases In one of the sharpest rate increases in decades, the Fed raised the federal interest rate from 0.08% in January 2022 to 4.1% in December 2022. Howeve
On February 7, the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) released its latest " Farm Sector Income & Finances" report with 2022 updated estimates and a 2023 forecast. The report is published three times a year, with a primary assessment in February to update the previous year’s estimates followed by u
In agriculture, we know that not all soils are equal. While some soils achieve high productivity, others have limitations related to texture, depth and drainage that lower their yields. These diverse variations make it challenging to directly compare two soils. What Is a Soil Productivity Index? Whe