February 2026 Rural Mainstreet Index

"I Have the Best Job in the World": Gary Brandt on What Co-ops See Before Banks Do

"I have the best job in the world. We help the farmers in Nebraska feed the world. It's noble work." That is Gary Brandt, CEO of Cooperative Producers Inc., a farmer-owned cooperative serving central Nebraska since 1906. Co-ops sit upstream of the financial system. They spot shifts in prepay behavior, input orders, and accounts receivable weeks before that data ever hits a commercial loan officer's desk. In this episode, Gary joins Dr. Ernie Goss and Andrew Hoover to lay out the numbers driving rural anxiety today. They break down the friction points for the 2026 crop season: thousand-dollar nitrogen, sub-five-dollar corn, surging land rents, and why farmers are intentionally slowing down their loan draws while they wait for July rain. May 2026 Rural Mainstreet Index highlights: Overall index: 45.7, fourth straight month below growth neutral Equipment sales: 18.2, 33rd consecutive month of decline Loan volume: 67.4, rising Confidence: 34.8, falling Nebraska RMI: 51.4, the only state in the ten-state region still above growth neutral Hosted by Andrew Hoover Produced at Creighton University’s Heider College of Business / MCEI This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit erniegoss.substack.com [https://erniegoss.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

"How Do You Operate at a Loss?" — Navigating Year Four of the Ag Squeeze

Row crop prices have been below production costs for four consecutive years. In this episode, Dr. Ernie Goss breaks down the April Rural Mainstreet Index, and Jeff Bonnett, President and CEO of Havana National Bank in Havana, Illinois, shares what that looks like on the ground. They cover Main Street spillover, loan renewal conversations, land values, and what policymakers may be getting wrong about rural America. Hosted by Andrew Hoover. A production of the Center for Economic Inquiry at Creighton University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit erniegoss.substack.com [https://erniegoss.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Bankers Say Recession Is Here | April 2026 RMI

The April Rural Mainstreet Index points to continued contraction across the rural economy, with more than half of bankers reporting local recession conditions. Dr. Ernie Goss breaks down what’s driving these shifts and what to watch going forward. Key takeaways from this month’s survey: * Recession Reality: 54.2% of bankers report current recession conditions. * Rural Assets: Farmland and ranchland values fell below growth neutral. * Ag Equipment: Equipment sales sank below growth neutral for the 32nd straight month. * Planting Shifts: Farmers are shifting acres from corn to soybeans in response to rising fertilizer costs. * Policy Impact: 62.5% of bankers say the $12B Farm Bridge program is having little to no impact. * Interest Rates: Most bankers recommend no change in interest rates amid ongoing inflation concerns. Hosted by Andrew Hoover | Produced at Creighton University’s Menard Institute for Economic Inquiry Subscribe to the Rural Banker This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit erniegoss.substack.com [https://erniegoss.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Farmers Are Borrowing to Survive, Not to Grow: March 2026 RMI

In this month’s episode of The Rural Banker, Dr. Ernie Goss breaks down the March 2026 Rural Mainstreet Index, and the tension between surging loan volume and collapsing confidence tells the story. The overall RMI fell to 40.9, its lowest level since October 2025, while banker confidence dropped from 45.8 to 29.5 in a single month. At the same time, loan volume jumped to 78.6. Dr. Goss explains why that borrowing surge is not optimism. It is farmers covering operating costs heading into planting season. We also get into how the Iran conflict is already affecting Midwest farm margins, why farmland values are holding despite weak income, and what bank CEOs are seeing that is not yet showing up in the broader data. Hosted by Andrew HooverProduced at Creighton University’s Heider College of Business / MCEI Subscribe to The Rural Banker This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit erniegoss.substack.com [https://erniegoss.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Energy Markets, Spring Planting Costs, and the Outlook for Rural Banks

In this episode of The Rural Banker, Dr. Ernie Goss reviews the latest Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) and the economic pressures facing agricultural producers and rural lenders. Energy markets remain a key factor this month. Recent volatility in oil prices has raised concerns about input costs heading into the spring planting season, particularly for diesel and other fuel-intensive farm operations. Dr. Goss notes that while prices have moved sharply in recent weeks, he expects energy markets to eventually settle back toward more normal levels. The conversation also explores how global uncertainty is affecting rural economies, including the potential impact on commodity markets, export demand, and financing conditions for agricultural producers. Dr. Goss also discusses the outlook for community banks, noting that liquidity remains available but that broader financial conditions bear watching. One indicator he highlights in particular is the 10-Year U.S. Treasury yield, which he suggests rural lenders monitor closely as a signal for potential changes in economic momentum. Hosted by Andrew HooverProduced at Creighton University's Menard Institute for Economic Inquiry This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit erniegoss.substack.com [https://erniegoss.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]