Prospects for Winter Backgrounding 2025-2026

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor and Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Oct. 31, 2025

Tight supplies and strong demand pushed cattle prices to unprecedented levels in 2025. As we write this in early October, calf prices are running over $1 per lb higher than fall of 2025 and heavy feeders are substantially higher as well.

2025 Fall KFBM Observations

Published on Oct. 31, 2025

The Kentucky Farm Business Management Program is a program of the Department of Agricultural Economi

More Base Acres, More Protection

By Grant Gardner | Assistant Extension Professor
Published on Oct. 31, 2025

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, makes a landmark change to federal farm programs.

New Report Shares Data Trends on Kentucky’s Rural Economy

By Sarah Bowker | Blueprint Kentucky Managing Director
Published on Oct. 31, 2025

A new report by Blueprint Kentucky provides data on Kentucky’s rural economy.

Strategic Farm Finance and Tax Management in Profitable Times

By Jonathan Shepherd | Extension Specialist and Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Sep. 28, 2025

Authors: Jonathan D. Shepherd, David Bilderback, and Kenny Burdine

Think Before You TikTok

By Meghan Planck | CCD Fellow
Published on Sep. 28, 2025

TikTok has exploded in popularity, and agriculture hasn’t been left behind. In 2023, agriculture-related content on TikTok racked up over 23 billion views, and the platform contributed $24.2 billion to the U.S. GDP. With its short, fast-paced videos and massive reach, it’s easy to wonder: Should your farm be on TikTok?

Navigating Carbon Markets: New Extension Resources for Producers

By Jordan Shockley | Associate Extension Professor
Published on Sep. 28, 2025

The landscape of carbon markets continues to evolve, creating new challenges and opportunities for farmers and ranchers. While early interest in voluntary carbon programs was met with limited enrollment, recent shifts are reshaping the conversation.

Fall 2025 Wheat Planting Decision

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor
Published on Sep. 28, 2025

Corn harvest is underway and Kentucky grain farmers will soon decide if and how much wheat they will plant this fall.  Compared to last year there is a slight drop in both soybean and wheat prices, stable fuel prices, and a slight increase in fertilizer prices.

2025 Farmland Values

By Steve Isaacs | Extension Professor
Published on Aug. 31, 2025

USDA releases the results of their annual survey of farmland values each August. The 2025 report indicates that national farm real estate values increased by 4.3% to an average of $4,350/ac. Kentucky farm real estate values increased 3.4% to an average of $5,480/ac.

2024 Family Living and Net Farm Income

By Tarrah Hardin | KFBM Area Extension Specialist
Published on Aug. 31, 2025

Over the last few years, farmers across the state had to sharpen their pencil when it comes to the farm budget. One part of the budget should be a family living cost. The average family living cost was $100,358 or $8,363 per month in 2024 for the 90 farms in the Kentucky Farm Business (KFBM) family living data set.