Prospects for farm income and agricultural credit conditions rebounded sharply in the fourth quarter of 2020. The average price of corn, soybeans and wheat increased more than 20% from the previous quarter, and reached six year highs in December.
Coming on the heels of a mild upturn in the third quarter of 2020, farmers and ranchers in the Ninth District saw dramatic improvement in the final three months to close out the year, according to the latest survey of agricultural lenders from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
Agricultural credit conditions in the Kansas City Fed’s Tenth District deteriorated at a slightly faster pace at the onset of developments related to COVID-19. The survey for the first quarter of 2020, distributed in mid-March, indicated a larger decline in farm income and loan repayment rates than in recent quarters.
Ag lenders in the Federal Reserve’s Ninth District remained concerned about trade and weather challenges confronting farmers but say the earlier price rally bolstered growers’ immediate outlook, says Joe Mahon, the district’s director of regional outreach, in summarizing the second quarter 2019 Agricultural Credit Conditions Survey.
Reporting on the results of its second quarter Ag Credit Survey, economists from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City suggest that, while still soft, the farm economy in the Fed’s Tenth District, is showing signs of stabilization.
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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.