farm economy

Trade is always on the mind of Northwest Ag leaders, since the region is so dependent on overseas buyers.  But more and more, the American farming community as a whole is talking about trade, and what’s being done to open up new markets, or expand existing ones.  Derek Sandiso...

The majority of agricultural economists in the latest Monthly Monitor say U.S. ag ended 2024 in a recession.  Farm Journal’s AgWeb.com says 56% of ag economists responded “yes” to the question of a recession.  The newest Monthly Monitor asked economists what they’ll be watching for in the new year.  One of the biggest is the potential of a ...

Across Washington, farmers, commodity groups, economists have discussed what a trying year 2024 has been for the agriculture community.   Add to that list the voice of Derek Sandison.    The Director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture says across the board, farming is very challenging right now.  Sandison not...

Across the country, skyrocketing prices, wages and operating costs have shuttered hundreds of thousands of American farms.  MSN reports in the past five years alone, over 140,000 American farms have tilled for the last time. Going back to 1950, 66% of all U.S. f...

Over half of the 70 ag economists surveyed in Farm Journal’s Monthly Survey of Ag Economists believe the U.S. agriculture economy is in a recession.  And 75% of the remaining economists believe the Ag economy is on the brink of a recession.  The number of...

Lamb Weston announced this week that it has permanently closed it's potato processing plant in Connell, WA, laying off 375 employees.  That plant in south central Washington was responsible for a variety of frozen potato products including French Fries. ...

Kicking off an expected loosening of U.S. monetary policy, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by half a percentage point earlier this week.  The move brings a larger-than-normal reduction in the cost of borrowing, which followed growing concern about the health of America’s job market.  According to ...

Washington State University’s Jill McCluskey was recently elected president of the International Association of Agricultural Economists.  McCluskey has been a member of the IAAE for many years, as an opportunity to network, collaborate and share research at international conferences.  She said she’...

As part of the National Ag Day Celebration this week, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture released its annual Feeding the Economy Report.  The data shows food and agriculture industries and their suppliers contribute over $8.6 trillio...

The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer dropped five points to 125 in February.  Farmers’ perspectives regarding both current conditions on their farms and their expectations for the future also weakened during the month.  The Index of ...