McLean County Farm Bureau

FarmDoc Daily

• The Growing Role of H-2A Workers in U.S. Agriculture
  The H-2A program allows eligible employers in the U.S. an avenue to request and hire foreign workers to fill temporary agricultural jobs. The program plays a critical role in addressing seasonal and temporary labor needs. In 2024, more than 380,000 workers were authorized under this program—a 300% increase from 2010, when only 94,000 workers participated. […]
• 2025 Grain Farm Return Prospects at the Beginning of July with a New Commodity Title
  From February to the first three days of July, Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) settlement prices fell $.39 per bushel for corn and $0.13 for soybeans. Significantly higher PLC/ARC payment results under the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) commodity title. The new commodity title results in significantly higher projected PLC/ARC payments. Even with increased commodity title […]
• Impact of Leverage on Rates of Return
  High debt to asset ratio farms had a lower net farm income ratio during the 2007 to 2024 period than low debt to asset ratio farms. However, retained earnings as a percentage of average net worth was higher for the high debt to asset ratio farms. For a substantial proportion of farms, leverage increased both […]