Hiring Down, Farmland Prices Up in Nebraska In August, According to Creighton University Survey

New hiring fell, while farmland prices rose in August for Nebraska, according to Creighton University’s latest Main Street Index. The nine-state survey examining rural economies showed increased farmland prices across the region for the 11th consecutive month.

Professor Ernie Goss leads the survey and said exports have increased this year versus last, but supply bottlenecks remain.

“We are seeing continuing supply bottlenecks whether that’s in the ports particularly on the west coast,” he said, “which is having some negative impacts on the agricultural sector in Nebraska and the rural main street economy.”

Goss said the country’s export quantity this year has favored Nebraska’s economy compared to the pandemic-stricken trade of last year.

He said the lack of new workers and hiring difficulties is seriously restraining the economy

“Farmers and businesses are having difficulty finding and hiring qualified workers, and that’s having some real negative impacts,” he said.

The hospitality and leisure businesses continue to have difficulties hiring.

Still, Nebraska and the eight other states are showing overall growth above neutral for the ninth straight month, which is an index of 50. August’s Main Street Index was just above 65 and down less than one compared to July.

The Rural Main Street Economy Index surveys bank CEO's across the Midwest.