One of the drivers behind the jump in producer sentiment following the 2016 election was a sharp uptick in expectations about the U.S. economy. In October 2016, a larger share of producers (23%) expected the U.S. economy to contract over the upcoming 12 months than expected the economy to expand (13%). By December, however, this changed markedly as half of the survey respondents reported that they expected the U.S. economy to expand during the upcoming year. This improved again in March with nearly 60% expecting economic expansion to take place. However, the last two times this question was posed, in June and again in September, respondents were noticeably less optimistic about the U.S. economy. On the September survey, just 40% of the respondents said the U.S. economy was likely to expand, a decline of nearly one-third since March.
Further evidence that optimism about the U.S. economy among agricultural producers is eroding is provided by their shifting perspective regarding the U.S. stock market. In March 2017, when asked whether they expected the stock market 12 months out would be higher, lower, or remain the same, 42% of producer respondents said they expected the stock market would be higher. The percentage of respondents who were stock market bulls declined over the spring and summer to the point where just 23% of producers in September said they expected stock market values would rise over the next 12 months.
Trade agreements and negotiations continue to be a front-page story. Throughout 2017, various Ag Economy Barometer surveys have posed questions to learn more about producers’ perspectives on the importance of trade to the farm economy and gain a better understanding of their view of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In earlier surveys, it was reported that:
- Trade was rated as important to the U.S. agricultural economy by 93% of producers (where important is defined as a rating of six or higher on a nine-point scale, February 2017 survey).
- Trade was rated as important to their farm by 80% of producers (where important is defined as a rating of six or higher on a nine-point scale, February 2017 survey).
- An overwhelming majority (83%) of agricultural producers were in favor of renegotiating NAFTA (May 2017 survey).
- A majority of producers believe that NAFTA renegotiations will prove favorable for the U.S. economy (63%) as well as favorable for the agricultural economy (61%) (where favorable is defined as a rating of six or higher on a nine-point scale May 2017 survey).
- About half of U.S. producers (51%) expect agricultural exports to increase over the next five years, while more than one-third of producers (36%) expect agricultural exports level to remain about the same (May 2017 survey).
On the September Ag Economy Barometer survey, producers were asked for the first time if the NAFTA trade agreement has been good or bad for the U.S. economy and, separately, good or bad for U.S farmers and ranchers. In both cases, a larger share reported the agreement was “good” than “bad.” For the U.S. economy, 52% reported “good,” while 48% reported “bad.” With respect to agriculture, 59% of respondents reported the agreement was good for U.S. farmers and ranchers, with 41% reporting it was bad. However, it should be noted that an unusually large percentage of survey participants, 24% in the case of the U.S. economy and 20% in the case of the impact on farmers and ranchers, opted not to answer these two questions.
