Many challenges are setting the stage for some tough years for row-crop farmers, according to speakers at the annual Ag Outlook Forum hosted by AgriPulse last week in Kansas City.

Beyond the typical challenges of weather and input prices, U.S. farmers are also faced with export pressure from Brazil in global corn and soybean markets.

“Right now, we’re seeing declines in the price of corn and soybeans,” noted Krista Swanson, lead economist at the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). 

“These declines have been at a faster pace than the decreases in the cost of production. I think we could be looking at corn and bean prices below the cost of production next year.”

Costs exceed...