Tight margins and higher input costs continue to pressure Clinton County farmers, but two ag lenders from The Farmers Bank say local producers can still find profitable opportunities in 2026 if they “know their numbers” and stay disciplined with marketing and technology investments. They also reassured listeners that The Farmers Bank’s upcoming merger with First Bank Richmond will not change the bank’s community-focused approach to agriculture lending.
Farm economy: tight but cautiously improving
Drew Cripe, senior vice president of commercial banking at The Farmers Bank, and Jared Stillwell, assistant vice president of ag and commercial banking, told WILO’s Ag Day audience that most row-crop operations are coming off “three years of tight margin years.” Stillwell said working capital remains tight, but farmer sentiment has begun to improve compared to the recent past. He pointed to a recent WASDE (World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates) report projecting a record corn crop and higher ending stocks, which could pressure corn prices, and roughly 91 million acres of soybeans this year.
“I think overall sentiment from farmers is growing,” Stillwell said, while noting it is “probably not where it was” in the strongest years but “better than it has been the last couple of years.” He added that recent rallies in commodity markets have been offset by rising fertilizer and fuel costs, making it critical for producers to maintain a solid handle on break-even levels.
Cripe said he is “a little more optimistic for this year” than in the recent past, pointing out that since the start of the year there have been “a lot of marketing opportunities” that did not exist last year. He emphasized that profitability in 2026 will vary widely depending on each farm’s cost structure and marketing decisions.
Marketing, storage and cost control
Both lenders stressed that on-farm grain storage and disciplined marketing can be difference-makers in a tight-margin environment. Cripe said some farmers who were able to store grain saw “two dollar a bushel” improvements on soybeans and “sixty to seventy-five cents” on corn compared with selling at harvest. Those without storage or in need of year-end cash often had to move grain at less favorable prices.
“As far as marketing advice, I always tell people, you know, make gradual sales,” Cripe said. “All of our successful operators have a very good handle on their numbers. Every single one of them.” He encouraged producers to know their break-even costs and make incremental sales when opportunities appear, rather than trying to time the market with large single moves.
On the cost side, Stillwell said many farmers are trimming “additives” and biological products that are harder to prove out in a year when budgets are tight. “I’m hearing a lot of guys say, ‘I’m not going to maybe put that extra money in those items. I’m gonna go for the things that’ll guarantee me a return,’” he said. Most, he added, are not skipping fertilizer but are focusing on inputs that clearly pencil out.
Technology and scale decisions
The discussion also touched on emerging technology, from drones to precision planting and “see-and-spray” systems. Stillwell said few of The Farmers Bank’s customers are buying drones outright, but some are exploring hired drone services to make more targeted applications.
Cripe noted that advanced technology often comes down to “size and scale.” Larger operators, he said, generally already use features like automatic shutoffs and site-specific application because the investment pays back faster. For smaller farms, those tools “take a lot longer” to pay off and may need to be evaluated over five, ten or even fifteen years. “It’s tough to do after a tight margin year,” he said, “but they’ll pay if you can pay for it.”
Merger reassurance: ‘business as usual’ for ag
Listeners also heard an update on The Farmers Bank’s planned merger with First Bank Richmond, a deal announced last fall that will create a larger community bank with branches across eastern and central Indiana. Cripe said that, even after the transaction, The Farmers Bank will remain “the smallest bank in this community” and that its ag lending team will stay in place in Frankfort.
“As far as directly today, the question you’re asking is, for the ag producers, it’s not going to change,” Cripe said. “Our ag lending staff is still in place. The process that they go through and the people they talk to for their operating needs will not change… it’s going to be business as usual.” He emphasized that both institutions share a community-bank philosophy, with Farmers Bank marking its 150th anniversary this year and First Bank Richmond having served its region for well over a century.
Advice for young and established producers
Looking ahead, Stillwell encouraged young people considering careers in agriculture or agribusiness to “look at the long term,” saying “the long term is positive for the ag economy.” He urged students to focus on what they want to do and to build a strong network, citing his own Purdue connections and ongoing conversations with classmates now working across the ag industry.
For those from non-farm backgrounds who want to enter production agriculture, Cripe cautioned that “it’s going to be a hard road” but said there will be opportunities for those willing to start with difficult, hands-on work and learn from experienced operators.
Both bankers closed by inviting producers to reach out directly. They said growers can visit The Farmers Bank’s main Frankfort branch, where Cripe, Stillwell and fellow ag lender Taryn Wainscott are based, or call the main line at 765-654-8731 to discuss financing, cost management and marketing strategies ahead of planting.
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WILO and Hoosierland TV Hosts Melissa Miller and Adam Shanks interviewed leaders in Indiana Agriculture from 9:30 AM to 2 PM March 18, 2026.
Skiles Electric presented Ag Day 2026 with support from Wampler’s Services Inc., The Farmers Bank, The Community Foundation, Rossville Consolidated School, and First Farmers Bank and Trust.
Broadcast on Hoosierland TV was produced by Michael Hall. Broadcast on WILO 96.9, Boone 102.7 FM and WILO 1570 was produced by Dacen Brittain.
