The Federal Reserve Banks of Kansas City and Dallas are reporting that demand for farm loans held steady or declined slightly in the second quarter, but renewals and extensions increased somewhat. At the same time, the banks report the interest rate on some loans, including ag machinery, has risen modestly.
It’s not getting any easier for farmers to borrow funds for ongoing operations, let alone ag equipment. Farm lenders are taking a much closer look at crop producers’ loan status as concerns about repayment are starting to grow.
Amid ongoing weakness in commodity prices, Midwest and Mid-South farm income and quality farmland values continued to decline during the first quarter of 2016, according to the latest Agricultural Finance Monitor published by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (8th District) on May 12.
If 2013 farm production costs rise at the rates seen last year, U.S. farmers will need to take on more debt, which could curb spending on farm equipment in 2014.
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There was plenty of technology on display at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis., a few weeks ago. Farm Equipment editor Mike Lessiter caught up with Monarch Tractor’s John Issacson and got his take on the top 5 applications in autonomy right now.