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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesIn October 2025, the U.S. prices-paid index for farm inputs stood 34.1 points above the prices-received index for agricultural products—the widest gap in at least a decade, according to USDA figures reported by University of Illinois Farm Policy News. The difference signals pressure on farm finances, but it is not a measure of how much money farms lost or of any individual farm’s profit.
What the 10-year-high gap measures
The reported October 2025 prices-paid index was 154.6, while the prices-received index was 120.5. Both indexes use 2011 as a base of 100. Subtracting the reported values gives a spread of 34.1 index points. Farm Policy News described that spread as the widest in at least a decade, based on its report of USDA data.
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Relative to the 2011 benchmark, the prices-paid reading was 54.6% above 100 and the prices-received reading was 20.5% above 100. Those percentages compare index readings with their base; they do not compare total farm expenses with total farm revenue. The figures and characterization are reported in University of Illinois Farm Policy News.
Why the indexes moved apart
The prices-paid index tracks a basket of farm expenses, including fertilizer, fuel, feed, and labor. The prices-received index tracks prices for agricultural products, including crops and livestock. Because the indexes cover different baskets, their movement describes a broad price relationship rather than the finances of a particular operation.
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Farm Policy News reports that rising commodity prices helped narrow the gap during parts of 2021 and 2022. After that period, crop and livestock prices fell faster than farm input costs eased, widening the difference again. The report describes these broad movements; it does not establish one single cause for the national spread.
Why the spread is not a farm-profit figure
An index-point difference cannot be translated into dollars lost per farm or a percentage change in profit. A farm’s results depend on what it produces and sells, the quantities of inputs it uses, its yields and local prices, its financing, and other costs. Two operations facing the same national index readings can therefore have very different financial outcomes.
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As Investigate Midwest reporter Lauren Cross put it in reporting summarized by Farm Policy News on January 5, 2026: “These indexes don’t measure profits directly, but they offer a clear signal of rising financial pressure on farm operations heading into the next season.”
What the figures suggest for 2026—and what they do not
Terrain Ag contributor Marc Rosenbohm projected operating costs for 2026 to be 4% higher for corn and 6% higher for soybeans than in 2025, as quoted in the January 2026 article. These are attributed projections, not confirmed 2026 results or universal estimates for every farm. They also do not show what prices, yields, or costs any particular operation will realize.
The October 2025 spread is a historical comparison reported from USDA data, not a forecast. The article reports those October readings; it does not establish whether a later USDA release has changed the comparison or the record-period description.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to apply the national signal to a farm budget
For a household reviewing farm income or a farm operator planning cash flow, national indexes are context—not a substitute for operation-specific numbers. A useful comparison should account for:
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- Production mix: which crops or livestock generate sales, and in what proportions.
- Local prices and quantities: actual sale prices, input prices, and amounts used, rather than index levels alone.
- Yield and production: output can change revenue even when prices move similarly.
- Financing and other costs: interest and expenses outside the index baskets also affect the bottom line.
- Time period: compare costs and receipts over the same season or accounting period.
University of Illinois farmdoc lists farm projection, cash-flow planning, and grain-pricing resources for readers who need tools to work through those farm-specific figures. Availability and terms should be checked directly with farmdoc.
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