Farmer Sentiment Climbs Despite Trade Uncertainty

In the latest Ag Economy Barometer from Purdue University and the CME Group, farmer sentiment rose by eight points over last month, showing a continued positive outlook on the U.S. ag economy. “It was a little bit surprising that we saw this improvement in sentiment despite the fact that we have the ongoing trade disputes with some of the U.S. agriculture’s largest trading partners, including Mexico, Canada, and China,” said Jim Mintert, director, Purdue University Center for Commercial Agriculture. Mintert says tariffs have taken the spotlight for yet another month. “Fifty-six percent of respondents said that they thought that tariffs would have a negative impact on the current economy, while 70 percent said they expect the long-run impact of tariffs will actually wind up benefiting U.S. agriculture.”