8 Numbers to Understand Today’s Farm Bank Landscape

Agricultural lending by U.S. farm banks increased 8.1% in 2022 to $103.1 billion, according to the American Bankers Association’s annual Farm Bank Performance Report.

Chicago Federal Reserve finds firming farmland values despite higher interest rates and lower commodity prices.
Chicago Federal Reserve finds firming farmland values despite higher interest rates and lower commodity prices.
(Farm Journal)

Agricultural lending by U.S. farm banks increased 8.1% in 2022 to $103.1 billion. That’s according to the American Bankers Association’s annual Farm Bank Performance Report.

“Moving forward in 2023, the agricultural sector will continue to face challenges due to monetary policy actions targeting persistent inflation in the United States, and increased uncertainty from geopolitical factors,” says ABA’s Chief Economist Sayee Srinivasan. “Nevertheless, farm banks remain well-positioned to continue serving the needs of their customers and communities, with strong asset quality and healthy capital levels.”

Here are a few key statistics about the ag lending landscape:

  • $190 billion: The amount of farm and ranch loans at the end of 2022.
  • 98.4%: The percentage of farm banks that were profitable in 2022.
  • $427 billion: The amount of deposits held by farm banks in 2022, up 4.8% from the previous year. In comparison, deposits for the overall banking industry fell 2.5% in 2022.
  • 0.49%: The percentage of noncurrent loans in the portfolio of farm banks.
  • 1,488: The number of farm banks in the U.S.
  • 112: The median farm bank age in 2022.
  • 2: The number of new farm banks established in 2022.
  • 75,000: The number of farm bank employees in 2022, which is up 800 from the year before.

AgWeb-Logo crop
Related Stories
The change implements provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and updates long-standing Farm Service Agency rules that had capped many entity-based operations at a single payment limit.
The central foundation for those against the merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern is if the new entity would in fact enhance competition.
As a ‘disconnect’ grows between macro-economic data and farm-level decisions, lenders urge transparency and proactive planning to bridge the gap in the current downturn.
Read Next
U.S. farmers and ag economists remain concerned by mounting global competition and the reliability of recent trade agreements. However, some economists say emerging market shifts could create opportunities later this year.
Get News Daily
Get Market Alerts
Get News & Markets App