Monthly Monitor
A vetted group of agricultural economists provide a monthly read on the U.S. ag economy, tracked over time, providing a gauge on important industry drivers.
September 2026 · Latest report
September Report at a Glance
Economists are advising growers to hedge their 2027 fertilizer bets — 44% recommend pricing a portion now and leaving the rest open, and only 11% expect spring wholesale prices to come down. Near-term sentiment held up, but the 12-month outlook slipped below neutral for the first time since April 2025, pulling the Ag Economy Index to 53 from July's 61.
Report Archive
View every Ag Economists Monthly Monitor published since January 2025.
About the Ag Economist Monthly Monitor
The Ag Economists Monthly Monitor is administered by Farm Journal and published on AgWeb. Each survey is administered to a vetted list of agricultural economists from across the United States.
Three of those questions repeat every survey, so changes can be tracked over time: current conditions vs. the prior month, current conditions vs. a year ago and the panel's outlook for the next twelve months. The trend chart plots those three categories. The composite sentiment index is a rebase of the four response shares to a single 0–100 number.
Responses are anonymous. Economists give the unvarnished view they cannot always offer with their name attached, and the panel composition is broad enough to cover crop, livestock, policy and ag finance perspectives. Reporting and analysis are produced by the AgWeb editorial team and overviews are aired on AgDay, AgriTalk and U.S. Farm Report.
In the News
Media Coverage
Findings from the Ag Economists Monthly Monitor covered by national newsrooms, farm-country radio, and agricultural policy outlets.