The Kansas RMI for August slid to 45.6 from 49.0 in July. The state’s farmland-price index grew to 45.9 from July’s 45.2. The new-hiring index for Kansas plummeted to 49.9 from 59.4 in July. Over the past 12 months rural areas in Kansas have experienced job losses with a contraction of 3 tenths of a percent compared to a stronger 1.8 percent for urban areas of the state. CEO of farmers national bank, Don Vogel says the rural area is dependent on ag and is down due to reduced acreage planted, due to wet spring conditions, reduced yield due to current dry conditions, and tariffs.
