This year, farm equipment demand has fallen 15% to 20% compared with 2023. John Deere is one of several machinery companies facing workforce reductions.

At its Williamsburg, Iowa, facility, the company is laying off 193 of the 815 people who work there.

There's a silent stress growing across rural America. Farmers are focused on growing this year's crop, hoping to outyield the low commodity prices, but their angst can't be ignored. Many farmers say they have a gut feeling 2024 will go down as the worst financial year they've ever had.

Jerry Gulke defines hedging as the ability to sell bushels and to lock in a futures price while still maintaining physical ownership and price flexibility. He has heard every reason (or excuse) in the book for not using futures and options. Here are his responses to a few of those reasons.