U.S. farmers' sentiment weakened following the November 2020 elections, as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer fell 16 points from a month earlier to a reading of 167.

Farmer sentiment in July was virtually unchanged from a month earlier as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose just one point to a reading of 118. The small change in the barometer left it 30% below its February 2020 peak and 23% below its level a year ago.

Farmer sentiment improved again in June as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose 14 points to a reading of 117.

Farmer sentiment improved slightly in May after falling sharply in both March and April. The Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer reading in May was 103, up 7 points from the April reading of 96.

In this week’s podcast, we discuss Ag Equipment Intelligence’s soon to be released Big Dealer Report. In the Technology Corner, Jack Zemlicka looks into a CoBank’s report that suggests wireless network sharing could be an affordable way to expand digital coverage. Also in this episode: a look at first quarter farm equipment sales compared to last year, Art’s Way’s latest earnings and a big drop in farmer sentiment amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Farmer’s perception of an improving ag economy going forward could be laying the groundwork for increased capital investments in the year ahead, according to the results of the Purdue University-CME monthly farmer survey.

The Purdue/CME Ag Economy Barometer rose in November for the second month in a row, climbing to 153, 17 points higher than in October when the index stood at 136. This month’s rise in the ag economy sentiment index left the barometer tied with July for the highest barometer reading of 2019.

In this week’s podcast, we look at the second quarter earnings reports for several dealers and manufacturers, including AGCO, Rocky Mountain Dealerships and CNH Industrial. In the Technology Corner, Jack Zemlicka shares how transitioning to smaller, autonomous implements will require a substantial shift for manufacturers and dealers, with cost-savings being the driving factor. We also discuss the rising Ag Economy Barometer, bringing a more optimistic perspective on farmland values and influencing decisions on large equipment. Also, in this episode, we break down the 2019 Market Facilitation Program, and we discuss the on-going battle over North Dakota’s ‘Dealers Bill of Rights’.

The Ag Economy Barometer rebounded in June to a reading of 126, 25 points higher than a month earlier. Both of the barometer’s sub-indices, the Index of Current Conditions and the Index of Future Expectations, improved compared to a month earlier.

In this podcast, we discuss Titan Machinery’s renewed focus on acquisitions in the U.S., one annalist’s take on how Blue River Technology could redefine farmer input costs, a double-digit drop in farmer sentiment and mixed results in large ag equipment sales during May. In the Technology Corner, we take a look at how dealers are shifting the way they bill service support.