Edited release
07/18/25
he overall Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) stayed above the 50.0 growth neutral reading in July, marking the second time since July 2023 that the index has moved above growth neutral for two straight months. That’s according to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a 10-state region including Iowa, dependent on agriculture and/or energy.
Bankers were asked to rank the greatest threats to farm income for the next year. More than three of four, or 76.1%, named low farm commodity prices as the top threat, while 19.9%, or almost one of five, identified tariffs as the top risk for the farm economy over the next 12 months.
In Iowa, the Index dropped below growth neutral, from 51 in May to 49.7 in June.
Other states in the survey include Colorado, which had the highest index at 53.2, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, the Dakotas, and Wyoming. Full information is available at Creighton.edu.