Robb Johansson

There were many hurricanes, wildfires and droughts last year, all of which serves as a reminder just how important crop insurance is for the agriculture industry.  USDA's Acting Deputy Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Rob Johanson said 89% of the principal crop land area, more than $100 billion of liability, is covered under Federal crop insurance. "T ...

Citing costs and a lack of pay out, some dairy producers have asked for changes in the dairy Margin Protection Program, and now they are seeing results.  Agriculture Department Chief Economist Rob Johansson said in the brand new federal spending bill, MPP was adjusted. ...

The spending bill signed Friday by President Trump has $2.4 billion to help ag producers impacted by the disasters we saw last year, specifically hurricanes.  U.S. Agriculture Department Chief Economist Rob Johanson says the bill does not create new USDA disaster programs, but expands existing ones.  Fo...

It's very early to know what will happen with farms and farmers in 2018, but USDA has just put out its early farm income forecast for this year.  USDA Chief Economist Robb Johansson said cash income is expected to drop five percent down to just under $ 92 billion. ...

The Agriculture Department's 2018 forecast for farm financials has farm sector incomes dropping, the cost of production rising, along with debt levels, sending net farm income down 6.7%. However, one positive trend, the USDA expecting the average ratio of farm debt to farm asset value may shrink, by an estimated 1%...

The final look at 2017 US Crop production numbers show little change from 2016 when it comes to planting, but harvest numbers were a bit short, according to USDA Chief Economist Rob Johansson   "We planted roughly what we did last year, about 319.1 mi...

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue will give testimony to the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Tuesday.  The subcommittee will hold a hearing on President Trump’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2018.  Perdue, Michel Young, the Department of Agriculture budget officer who is also acting deputy secretary, and Robb Johansson, USDA's chief economist, are scheduled to testify.   The bu..