Nebraska net farm income is forecast to increase 55% in 2025, to a record $9.42 billion, according to new projections from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the University of Missouri. It would be the highest nominal farm income level on record for the state.
Higher cash receipts from livestock and crop insurance indemnities are projected to offset the decline in cash receipts from crops. But the major driver of farm income in 2025 is expected to be the $1.58 billion increase in direct government payments, which would account for 17% of the increase in the state’s net farm income. “Positive profit margins in livestock production and one-time government payments will support farm liquidity in calendar year 2025,” said Alejandro Plastina, director of the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center. “Managing liquidity smartly will be key to protect farm operations from headwinds in 2026.”
The 55% increase in Nebraska largely exceeds the 30% increase in U.S. net farm income projected by the University of Missouri’s Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute and USDA’s Economic Research Service.
