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Article
Four Reasons Why We Aren’t Likely to See a Replay of the 1980’s Farm Crisis
Agricultural Policy Review
  • Wendong Zhang, Iowa State University
Publication Date
4-1-2017
Abstract

T HERE ARE plenty of alarming signs indicating a possible farm crisis: current corn prices are half the 2013 peak level of US $7/bushel; farm income has declined for major commodities (corn, wheat, cattle), falling from the previous year to levels well below recent years; weak farm income and worsening credit conditions continue to trim farmland values, which are expected to trend lower in the months ahead, thus weakening the equity position of producers and the collateral value for lenders. Given the heightening farm βinancial crisis, many agricultural lenders, academics, and other stakeholders in the US farm sector worry another farm crisis is looming. However, there are four economic and legal reasons why this farm downturn is unlikely to slide into a sudden collapse of agricultural markets.

Citation Information
Wendong Zhang. "Four Reasons Why We Aren’t Likely to See a Replay of the 1980’s Farm Crisis" (2017)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/wendong_zhang/71/