Iowa farmers should anticipate tighter, and possibly negative, margins in 2023 and beyond as the costs of production continue to rise and commodity prices fall from 2022 highs.

Experts from Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach, Iowa Farm Bureau and FCSAmerica agree that while profitability remains attainable, it may be advisable to put off buying farmland or a new combine.

“I’m not trying to scare anybody, throw up any warning signs or pull any fire alarms, but when I look at the corn market, there are some issues I see,” said Tim Christensen, ISU Extension farm management specialist serving southwest Iowa. “I could come up with some pretty plausible scenarios where there’s a ‘4’ starting out that number (corn price bushel per ...