Farmer Sentiment Is Falling Amid Higher Input Costs

Farmer sentiment declined in April—the pressure on the farm economy is intensifying.

In this episode of the Purdue Commercial AgCast, Joana Colussi and Michael Langemeier break down the April 2026 Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. Rising input costs, increasing concern about fertilizer availability, and global uncertainty tied to geopolitical conflict all contributed to a drop in sentiment.

Tighter margins, rising break-even costs, and weaker financial expectations are beginning to influence how farmers approach investment, growth, and risk management heading into 2026.

More importantly, these signals highlight how producers are shifting from cautious optimism to a more defensive posture.

In this episode, we discuss:

What’s driving the recent decline in farmer sentiment

How fertilizer prices and input availability are impacting decisions

Why 2/3 of farmers expect lower income in 2026

What rising break-even prices mean for crop profitability

Why farmers are pulling back on machinery and capital investments

The widening gap between crop and livestock outlooks

How tight margins are influencing cash flow and strategy