Farmer Sentiment Declines in April Amid Input Costs

Michael Langemeier and Joana Colussi, Purdue Center for Commercial Agriculture

Farmer sentiment fell in April as concerns about rising input costs, tighter availability and global instability continued to weigh on the agricultural outlook. The April Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer dropped to 121, down from 127 in March. The percentage of respondents who listed high input costs as their biggest concern remained at 46% this month, while the percentage who listed input availability as their biggest concern increased from 11% to 14%. The percentage of respondents who think the U.S. is headed in the “right direction” and who expect land prices to be higher five years from now also decreased. The April barometer survey was conducted among 400 farmers across the nation from April 13–17, 2026.  

This month’s survey included questions related to the impact of the Iran conflict on net farm income and corn breakeven prices in 2026. Approximately two-thirds of the respondents expected their net farm income to decline in 2026 due to the Iran conflict, which began in late February and affected fertilizer and natural gas prices worldwide.

As in the last few months, producers were asked whether the U.S. is headed in the “right direction” or on the “wrong track.” The percentage of producers who reported that the U.S. is headed in the “right direction” fell from 65% in March to 57% in April.

Source: Ag.Purdue.edu | Read the complete report here.