The volume of agricultural lending at commercial banks remained elevated but declined for a second consecutive quarter, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s latest Ag Finance Databook report. Total non-real estate farm loans decreased about 12% in the fourth quarter and declined over consecutive quarters for the first time since early 2017.
Expectations for farm income and loan repayment rates were lowest for areas and operations more concentrated in soybean, corn, hog and dairy production as uncertainties surrounding trade continued.
Results of Kansas City Federal Bank’s most recent survey of farm lenders shows that interest rates on farm loans have continued to inch higher. At the same time, the first quarter 2018 Agricultural Finance Monitor published by the St. Louis Fed indicates that farm income slipped for the 17th consecutive quarter.
Ag producers’ confidence surged during January. That’s according to the latest reading of the Ag Economy Barometer, which is compiled by Purdue University and the Center for Commercial Agriculture.
In its second-quarter survey of lenders the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank (7th District) asked the ag lenders to assess the overall change in the financial condition of their ag borrowers (farmers and/or ranchers) compared with the prior year, based on 5 categories ranging from significant deterioration to significant improvement.
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In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, Deere Director of Investor Relations Josh Beal told JP Morgan analysts that the OEM is confident it will be “producing to demand” in fiscal year 2025.