It’s easy to feel discouraged in the agricultural sector right now. Prices are soft, input costs remain high, and income projections for this year and next aren’t encouraging. But Holly Spangler, editor of Prairie Farmer, says there are reasons for optimism going into 2026.
“There are a lot of smart folks who study the markets who think there’s a reasonably good chance of a rally after the first of the year, especially in corn prices. That’s based on some of the changes from the USDA in their report and on yield and usage,” says Spangler. “Then, number two, we got a lot of snow in the last month, especially here in this corner of the state and across much of northern and central Illinois. That adds moisture, and we are in desperate need of it. And then, number three, beef markets have mostly recovered at this point from the chaos of the fall.”
Spangler adds that young people still want to farm, keeping hope alive for the future of agriculture.
