The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer farmer sentiment index rose in August…

It rose 14 points to a reading of 117. The rise in the overall measure of ag producer sentiment was driven by increases in both the Index of Current Conditions and the Index of Future Expectations.

The Ag Economy Barometer is calculated each month from 400 U.S. ag producers’ responses to a telephone survey. This month’s survey was conducted in mid-August after The U.S. Department of Ag released both the August Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates reports.

This month, more producers indicated they’re expecting better financial performance for their farms as both corn and soybean prices rallied from their July lows into mid-August.

When asked about their biggest concerns, more than half of respondents chose higher input costs, followed by rising interest rates, input availability, and lower output prices.

On the farm level, there is a big disparity in opinions among farmers regarding whether input prices will go up or go down next year.