The overall Rural Mainstreet Index fell below growth neutral of 50.0 for the 20th time in the past 21 months. Farm equipment sales dropped below growth neutral for the 21st straight month. Creighton University Economist, Ernie Goss, says the economic outlook for 2025 farm income remains weak, according to bank CEOs. Almost one in four bankers rate tariff retaliation from trading partners as the top risk facing farmers in 2025 while 68.0% ranked lower farm commodity prices as the major risk factor for farmers.
The Kansas RMI for May sank to 36.8 from April’s 37.5. The state’s farmland price index declined to 31.6 from 33.5 in April. The new hiring index for Kansas rose to 40.9 from 33.5 in April. According to trade data from ITA, Kansas exports of agriculture goods and livestock for the first quarter of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, sank by $25.0 million for a decline of 6.8%. Mexico was the top destination for Q1, 2025, accounting for 75.9% of 2025 Kansas agriculture and livestock exports.
