Farm Sentiment Is Up… So Why Are Farmers Still Worried?

Farmer sentiment improved in March—but the underlying pressures in the farm economy haven’t gone away. In this episode of the Purdue Commercial AgCast, Joana Colussi and Michael Langemeier break down the March 2026 Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. Despite rising input costs and global uncertainty tied to geopolitical conflict, farmer sentiment moved higher—driven in part by stronger crop prices and government payments. But the improvement comes with important caveats. Tight margins, rising breakeven costs, and shifting risk priorities are shaping how farmers approach investment, production, and long-term strategy. More importantly, these signals highlight how producers are balancing short-term optimism with longer-term uncertainty. In this episode, we discuss: • What’s driving the recent increase in farmer sentiment • How $35/acre payments and higher corn prices are influencing outlook • Why only 4% of farmers plan to increase machinery purchases • How rising input costs are impacting breakeven prices and profitability • Why financial risk has overtaken marketing risk for many farms • What farmers expect for inflation and interest rates in the year ahead • How solar leasing is evolving across regions and land markets • What’s driving farmland value expectations in 2026 📊 Read the full Ag Economy Barometer report: https://purdue.ag/barometer126 — For more farm management resources, visit: 👉 https://purdue.ag/commercialag Subscribe to the podcast: 👉 https://purdue.ag/agcast Follow us: X: https://twitter.com/PUCommercialAg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PUCommercialAg LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-for-commercial-agriculture