Nebraska Farmers Brace for Tight Season Amid Economic Uncertainty

By Addy Donelson

As planters begin to roll across the Cornhusker State, and ranchers are calving, many Nebraska farmers and ranchers are entering the 2025 season with a mix of cautious optimism and growing concern. While hope is never in short supply in rural communities, Nebraska Farm Bureau (NEFB) members are increasingly sounding the alarm on a potentially deepening economic downturn in agriculture—some even warning of an approaching agricultural recession.

From stubbornly high input costs to weak grain markets and rising interest rates, producers say they’re facing one of the most uncertain seasons in recent memory.

“The next year or two could be very tight. It may be difficult to break even on grains,” said Andy DeVries, a Keith County Farm Bureau member who sits on the NEFB Board of Directors representing the Southwest Region. “At these prices, it is and will be impossible to make money. Interest rates are still high, which in return does not help the bottom line of our operations. As of now, the economic outlook for grains is not bright.”

Greg Hoegermeyer, a Washington County Farm Bureau member, who serves as an At-Large Board member on the NEFB Board of Directors, agrees.

“I think farmers and ranchers will start to feel the pinch next year. Our greater concern will begin when farmers and ranchers can’t import our needed inputs. It isn’t this year that is my concern, it is next year that might be a greater concern,” Hoegermeyer said.

Commodity prices remain low across several major crops, putting additional pressure on farm income. While fuel costs have begun to stabilize, prices for essential inputs such as seed, fertilizer and machinery repairs continue to rise, further eroding profitability.

Yet, even as outside pressures mount, farmers are staying focused on the factors they can control. NEFB members say strategic planning, financial discipline and smart marketing will be essential to getting through the year ahead.