Keep The Pulse Of The U.S. Agricultural Economy (NAPSA)—There is a new economic index this year—and it matters to anyone interested in the health of our economy. Purdue University’s Center for Commercial Agriculture and the derivatives marketplace CME Group have partnered to launch the Purdue/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer—a monthly nation- wide measure of the health of the USS. agricultural economy. AG ECONOMY BAROMETER PURDUE UNIVERSITY = $ CME GROUP = Be Things are looking up for farmers, one study shows. “The U.S. farm economy is an important part of the global economy,” said CME Group Executive Chairman and President Terry Duffy. “With Purdue’s research and agriculture expertise—as well as the input of farmers and agribusinesses around the U.S.— we are uncovering vital insight into a critical industry.” Each month, Purdue measures the confidence of 400 food producers regarding the farm economy and key economic drivers. A reading above or below the baseline score of 100 indicates whether sentiment has improved or declined during the month. April survey results, released on May3, indicated agricultural sentiment of U.S. producers increased to 106 compared to a value of 100 for the base period of October 2015 through March 2016. The improved sentiment was driven in part by strengthening corn, soybean and wheat prices and favorable weather conditions for row crop planting. “Together with CME Group, Purdue will analyze and report the real-time economic health of U.S. agriculture, on which every citizen and the rest of the economy depends,” said Purdue President Mitch Daniels. Results for the Ag Economy Barometer are tabulated and published on the first Tuesday of each month by Purdue University. To learn more about the barometer, sur- vey methodology or the most recent results, visit www.purdue.edu/ agbarometer.
