Welcome to IFES 2025! The Illinois Farm Economics Summit returns this December to help producers and landowners navigate the current economic conditions and policy issues impacting global, US, and Illinois agriculture. Join us for IFES 2025 this December as the farmdoc team analyzes factors shaping farm profitability this year through presentations, discussion, and Q&A on grain and livestock markets, farm financials and profitability, farm and risk management, farmland values and leasing, farm policy, and more. The farmdoc team of experts will provide information and insights to aid with management decisions during this ongoing period of financial stress.
Presenting and participating farmdoc team members will include Joe Janzen, Brittney Goodrich, Gerald Mashange, Nick Paulson, Gary Schnitkey, Jonathan Coppess, Scott Irwin, Brad Zwilling, Natalie Loduca, and Juo-Han Tsay.
The Illinois Farm Economic Summit series is scheduled for December. It includes the the larger Farm Assets Conference kickoff event on the University of Illinois campus and three IFES events around the state. All of the farmdoc team IFES presentations will be included in the Champaign event.
2025 Presentations
Grain Market Outlook
Joe Janzen
Department of ACE, University of Illinois
Joe Janzen will discuss corn, soybean, and wheat price prospects for 2026. He will provide an update on current global market fundamentals and consider what price expectations based on the latest supply and demand estimates mean for farm grain marketing in the year ahead.
Livestock Market Outlook
Brittney Goodrich
Department of ACE, University of Illinois
Brittney Goodrich will provide a look at the current and future U.S. meat supply and demand, the beef cattle cycle and hog production and markets. She will also touch on potential livestock insurance options for producers.
Farm Financial Update
Gerald Mashange
Department of ACE, University of Illinois
Gerald Mashange will take attendees through a look at current farm financials, including how both net farm incomes and farm sector cash receipts are projected to increase in 2025. He will also cover the latest on the farm machinery and equipment market.
Farm Income and Returns Outlook
Nick Paulson
Department of ACE, University of Illinois
Nick Paulson will cover the latest on corn and soybean prices, production costs and returns and farm income. He will also cover the latest developments regarding farmer aid from the Trump Administration.
Management Strategies Under Financial Stress
Gary Schnitkey, Nick Paulson, Brad Zwilling, and Juo-Han Tsay
Department of ACE, University of Illinois
Gary Schnitkey will lead this session that will include a combination of presentations, discussion, and Q&A covering successful management strategies to implement during periods of financial stress, particularly focused on the most financially stressed operations. Specific topics of focus will include access to farmland via ownership and leasing, managing cash flows, and diversification and enhancement of income streams.
Farm Policy Update
Jonathan Coppess, Gary Schnitkey, Nick Paulson, and Natalie Loduca
Department of ACE, University of Illinois
Jonathan Coppess will lead this session that will include a combination of presentations, discussion, and Q&A covering the latest developments in farm policy. Specific topics of focus will include recent changes to Farm Bill programs (commodity programs and crop insurance) and tax policy in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and implications on other policy areas including trade and biofuels.