Javascript is required to use this website.

Economist: Farms not yet facing solvency crisis

Phyllis Coulter
Sep 10, 2020
Sep 10, 2020 Updated Sep 11, 2020

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Despite the recent challenging years in agriculture, Illinois farmers have a relatively low ratio of debt to assets, University of Illinois agricultural economist Gary Schnitkey said.

kAm“(6 2C6 ?@E :? 2 D@=G6?4J 4C:D:D[” 28C665 76==@H &?:G6CD:EJ @7 x==:?@:D 28 64@?@>:DE }:4< !2F=D@? 2E 2 72C> 7:?2?46D H63:?2C @776C65 3J E96 F?:G6CD:EJ’D s6A2CE>6?E @7 p8C:4F=EFC6 2?5 r@?DF>6C t4@?@>:4D @? pF8] ag]k^Am

kAm%96 @3D6CG2E:@?D 4@>6 7C@> 52E2 4@>A:=65 3J E96 x==:?@:D u2C> qFD:?6DD u2C> |2?286>6?E AC@8C2>] s2E2 7C@> 23@FE 92=7 @7 E96 d[d__ 72C>D :? x==:?@:D :D FD65] %96C6 :D D@>6 =28 E:>6 — E9:D :?7@C>2E:@? 4@>6D 7C@> a_`h 52E2[ 367@C6 E96 A2?56>:4]k^Am

kAmx? a_`h[ E96 2G6C286 72C> :?4@>6 H6?E 5@H? cgT 7C@> S`bf[f_c :? a_`g E@ Sf`[``d :? a_`h[ D2:5 qC25 +H:==:?8[ uqu| 7:6=5 DE277] x? 2==[ h_T @7 E96 ?6E :?4@>6 42>6 7C@> 7656C2= A2J>6?ED[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 |2C<6E u24:=:E2E:@? !C@8C2>[ =:G6DE@4< A2J>6?ED 2?5 r@?D6CG2E:@? #6D6CG6 !C@8C2>[ 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm}6E 72C> :?4@>6 2D 2 A6C46?E286 @7 8C@DD :?4@>6 76== 7C@> bdT :? a_`` E@ g]`T :? a_`h[ +H:==:?8 D2:5]k^Am

kAm!2F=D@? D2:5 @=56C 8C2:? 72C>6CD H9@ @H? E96:C @H? =2?5 2C6 :? E96 36DE A@D:E:@?] }@E DFCAC:D:?8=J J@F?86C 8C2:? 72C>6CD[ @7E6? E9@D6 H:E9 9:896C 42D9 C6?ED[ 2C6 :? H62<6C A@D:E:@?D]k^Am

kAmu2C>6CD 286 e_ 2?5 9:896C 92G6 23@FE 2 `_T 563E\E@\2DD6E C2E:@] $@>6 @7 E96 J@F?86DE 72C>6CD :? E96 uqu| AC@8C2> 2C6 2E 23@FE d_T] p3@FE e_T @7 72C>6CD 92G6 =6DD E92? 2 b_T 563E\E@\2DD6E C2E:@[ !2F=D@? D2:5]k^Am

kAmw6 2=D@ ?@E65 E96 2G6C286 286 @7 A2CE:4:A2?ED H2D 36EH66? dg 2?5 e_] ~G6C 92=7 @7 E96 @A6C2E@CD 2C6 23@G6 286 e_]k^Am

kAm“*@F?86C 72C>6CD 2C6 :? >@C6 GF=?6C23=6 A@D:E:@?D :? E6C>D @7 C6=2E:G6 563E E@ 2DD6ED[” 96 D2:5] %96 4FCC6?E D:EF2E:@? :D “>@C6 @7 2 =:BF:5:EJ :DDF6]”k^Am

kAm{:G6DE@4< AC@5F46CD[ 6DA64:2==J 9@8 2?5 52:CJ[ 92G6 E:89E6C 42D9 7=@HD ?@H[ 2?5 :E =@@<D =:<6 E92E H:== 4@?E:?F6[ $49?:E<6J D2:5]k^Am

kAmvC2:? 72C>D 2C6 86?6C2==J 5@:?8 36DE @? =:BF:5:EJ 2?5 92G6 7@C E96 =2DE 7:G6 J62CD[ !2F=D@? D2:5] %96J 92G6 E96 36?67:E @7 :?4C62D6D[ @C 2E =62DE DE23:=:EJ[ :? =2?5 AC:46D[ 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm%96 uqu| 52E2 D9@HD 72>:=J =:G:?8 6IA6?D6D 2C6 4@>:?8 5@H?[ 96 D2:5] %96J 9:E 2 9:89 :? a_`b]k^Am

kAm“(6 2== <?@H E9@D6 E9:?8D 2C6 92C5 E@ 3C:?8 5@H?[” $49?:E<6J D2:5]k^Am

People are also reading…

Good cattle and a giving nature: Late cowboy to receive hall of fame honors
County school’s Easter parties created lasting memories
Meristem focuses on reducing crop input costs for farmers
Virtual fence shows potential for producers
Fertilizer prices seasonally higher, rising globally
Farmers visit Mexico ahead of USMCA talks
Defend Digestive Function to Protect Profitability
Divine intent of creation respected
Social media talk burns my britches
Couples partner to open Sasquatch Acres farmstand
Quality data, trust key to AI in agriculture
Precision ag technology put to work
Eastern Iowa woman drawn to new foods and hobbies
Brooks Chalky Butte Angus Ranch 2026 Production Sale
Nebraska ranchers reel from fire losses

kAm(9:=6 72C>6CD 2C6 H2E49:?8 4@DED C:89E ?@H[ D@>6 AC@7:E23=6 :?G6DE>6?ED 42? 36 >256 :?4=F5:?8 E:=:?8[ DE@C286 @? D@>6 72C>D 2?5 C2:D:?8 DA64:2=EJ 8C2:? :? 46CE2:? 42D6D[ 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmtDA64:2==J 7@C J@F?8 72C>6CD[ :E :D :>A@CE2?E E@ 86?6C2E6 42D9] %92E >:89E 36 7C@> D665 D2=6D[ C2:D:?8 =:G6DE@4<[ 4FDE@> 72C>:?8 @C @77\72C> 3FD:?6DD6D] w6 25G:D65 36:?8 42FE:@FD H:E9 =:G6DE@4< 2?5 4FDE@> 92CG6DE:?8 3642FD6 E96J 42? 2=D@ 36 2 42D9 5C2H :? D@>6 42D6D]k^Am

kAmp 4=62C 25G2?E286 E@ @77\72C> ;@3D :D 86EE:?8 962=E9 36?67:ED[ 96 D2:5[ H9:=6 ?@E:?8 E92E 5FC:?8 E96 A2?56>:4 E9@D6 ;@3D >2J 36 >@C6 5:77:4F=E E@ 7:?5] %92E >2J 4@?E:?F6[ 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm%9:D :D 2 J62C E@ =@@< 4=@D6=J 2E 42D9 C6?ED[ 96 D2:5] %92E =2?5 >2J ?@E 36 2 >@?6J >2<6C] %9:D :D 5:77:4F=E 7@C J@F?8 A6@A=6 3642FD6 2 72C>6C >2J H2?E E@ 6IA2?5 E@ 62C? >@C6 C6G6?F6[ 3FE H:E9 E96 4@DE @7 C6?E[ :E >:89E ?@E 36 AC@7:E23=6[ 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm~A6C2E:?8 =@2?D 2C6 :?4C62D:?8[ 96 D2:5] x? a_`h E96 2G6C286 @A6C2E:?8 =@2? H2D Sb_b^24C6 2?5 :D 8@:?8 FA]k^Am

kAm“%96D6 2C6 8C@H:?8[ 3FE ?@E 2=2C>:?8=J D@[” $49?:E<6J D2:5]k^Am

kAm~A6C2E:?8 =@2?D H:== 4@?E:?F6 E@ 8C@H E9:D J62C[ 6DA64:2==J 7@C 9@8D 2?5 52:CJ[ 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm(@C<:?8 42A:E2= :D 564=:?:?8 “?@E 2E 2? 2=2C>:?8 C2E6 @? 2G6C286[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm~? E96 A@D:E:G6 D:56[ :E =@@<D =:<6 E96C6 H:== 36 8@@5 J:6=5D 7@C >2?J 72C>6CD E9:D J62C] !C:46D 2C6 DE:== =@H 3FE 2 =:EE=6 9:896C E92? 2?E:4:A2E65[ $49?:E<6J D2:5] w6 D2:5 H9:=6 x==:?@:D 72C>6CD 92E6 E@ D66 E96 DE@C>D E92E 27764E65 x@H2 4C@AD[ :E >2J 96=A AC:46D :7 E96C6 :D =6DD DFAA=J]k^Am

kAm$49?:E<6J 7@4FD65 9:D 25G:46 3J 286 8C@FAik^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m*@F?8 72C>6CDik^DEC@?8m !C:@C:E:K6 42D9\86?6C2E:?8 24E:G:E:6D H9:49 >2J ?@E 36 8C2:? @A6C2E:@?D] %9:D 8C@FA >2J 36 >@DE =:<6=J E@ 92G6 H@C<:?8 42A:E2= :DDF6D]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m|:55=6\286 72C>6CDik^DEC@?8m tG2=F2E6 E96 7:?2?4:2= A6C7@C>2?46 @7 E96 3FD:?6DD :?4=F5:?8 DA64:7:4 EC24ED @7 =2?5]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m~=56C 72C>6CD H:E9 ?@ 96:CDik^DEC@?8m tG2=F2E6 DA64:7:4 D68>6?ED @7 72C>=2?5] u@C 6I2>A=6[ :7 42D9 C6?E65 =2?5 :D?’E >2<:?8 2 AC@7:E[ 4@?D:56C =6EE:?8 :E 8@]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m~=56C 72C>6CD H:E9 96:CDik^DEC@?8m xE :D 2 E:>6 E@ 5@ DF446DD:@? A=2??:?8[ E2<:?8 :?E@ 4@?D:56C2E:@? E96 J@F?8 72C>6C[ E96 C6E:C:?8 86?6C2E:@? 2?5 ?@?\72>:=J >6>36CD]k^Am

kAm“%9@D6 2C6 E@F89 564:D:@?D[” $49?:E<6J D2:5]k^Am