Edited release
05/16/25
For the 20th time in the past 21 months, the overall Rural Mainstreet Index sank below the 50.0 growth neutral reading in May, according to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of Iowa and 9 other states dependent on agriculture and/or energy.
The region’s overall reading for May did increase to 44.0 from April’s 40.0.
Creighton University’s Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey, says almost one in four bankers rate tariff retaliation from trading partners as the top risk facing farmers in 2025 while over two-thirds ranked lower farm commodity prices as the major risk factor for farmers.
In Iowa, the Rural Mainstreet Index improved from 39.8 to 46.8. None of the states in the survey had scores above growth neutral.
Full details can be found at Creighton.edu.