# Economists Highlight Struggling Farm Economy, Seek Safety Net Changes

> Economists testifying at a House Agriculture Committee hearing said farm finances will dip in 2017 for a fourth straight year, though conditions are not as severe as the 1980s. Low interest rates and firm land values are offsetting higher debt-to-asset ratios, and lawmakers signaled a focus on rural needs in the new farm bill.

- Date: 2017-02-15 · published 2017-02-15T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/72474-economists-highlight-struggling-farm-economy-seek-safety-net-changes
- Commodities: [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md)

## Why it matters

Weak farm incomes can reduce input purchasing and force tighter cash management, while low prices offset by higher yields keep grain supply ample.

## Read by commodity

- SOY: neutral
- CORN: neutral

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2018-12-01 | [Wetter springs, hotter summers: Climate change threatens Iowa farm economy](https://feedsoft.ai/events/61897-wetter-springs-hotter-summers-climate-change-threatens-iowa-farm-economy.md) | +6.8% | +8.4% |
| CORN | 2018-11-26 | [Climate Change an Economic Risk](https://feedsoft.ai/events/61896-climate-change-an-economic-risk.md) | +1.1% | +8.1% |
| CORN | 2022-06-13 | [Small Changes and Season Average Price Forecasts - farmdoc daily](https://feedsoft.ai/events/40900-small-changes-and-season-average-price-forecasts-farmdoc-daily.md) | -1.5% | +1.5% |
| CORN | 2019-01-31 | [Drought-Tolerant Corn in the U.S., New Report from USDA’s Economic Research Service \| Farm Policy News \| Illinois](https://feedsoft.ai/events/60958-drought-tolerant-corn-in-the-u-s-new-report-from-usda-s-economic-research.md) | -0.5% | -1.3% |
| CORN | 2021-06-29 | [Ag economist says Cattle on Feed report has some good news for cattle prices - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/46711-ag-economist-says-cattle-on-feed-report-has-some-good-news-for-cattle-prices.md) | +5.0% | -9.0% |
| SOY | 2018-12-01 | [Wetter springs, hotter summers: Climate change threatens Iowa farm economy](https://feedsoft.ai/events/61897-wetter-springs-hotter-summers-climate-change-threatens-iowa-farm-economy.md) | +1.7% | +0.0% |
| SOY | 2018-11-26 | [Climate Change an Economic Risk](https://feedsoft.ai/events/61896-climate-change-an-economic-risk.md) | +1.6% | +0.3% |
| SOY | 2018-03-12 | [Tennessee Market Highlights \| UT Crops News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/65957-tennessee-market-highlights-ut-crops-news.md) | +2.0% | +1.7% |

## Sources

- dtnpf.com: https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/news/world-policy/article/2017/02/15/economists-highlight-struggling-farm

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.