Recent USDA data highlights a growing imbalance producers are feeling every day in the field.
By October 2025, the Prices Paid Index climbed to 154.6, while the Prices Received Index fell to 120.5. Put simply:
• It now costs producers ~50% more to grow crops than it did in 2011
• Yet commodity prices are only ~21% higher over that same period
That 34-point spread is the widest gap we’ve seen in at least a decade.
This isn’t about short-term market volatility, it reflects deeper structural pressures: rising input costs, tighter margins, and increasing capital risk for producers and landowners alike.
📉 How are you seeing this margin compression show up in your operation or portfolio?
💬 What questions should the ag industry be asking right now?
Team Spotlight: Kari Rickenbach, Permanent Crop Associate Kari brings more than 20 years of experience in the permanent crop industry to Root Ag Advisory. With a background in farm operations, financial management, and horticulture, she understands the decisions producers face from both the field and business side of an operation. Her experience helps support Root… Employee Spotlight: Kari Richenbach
🌾Farm succession is not just about who gets the land. It is about protecting the operation, preserving family relationships, planning for taxes, assets, water, leases, and long-term goals… And making sure the next generation has a clear path forward. Consider the following when creating your farm’s succession plan: – The earlier the conversation starts, the… Farmland Succession Planning
Root Agricultural Advisory
2670 S. Eagle Rd. Meridian ID 83642
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