"Here are seven little trends and observations to chew on while you await the next surprise in the economy or commodity markets," writes Successful Farming magazine Editor-in-Chief Loren Kruse. "These ideas are courtesy of Mark Bequeaith, who studies consumer behavior for Better Homes and Gardens magazine and other sister publications of Successful Farming magazine."

"It's no wonder the U.S. cow herd continues to shrink. Recent economic news doesn't exactly bode well for the beef business," writes Beef Insider Contributing Editor Gene Johnston. "But these are the times that define your career as a farmer as you get lean, mean, and efficient. The right investments in land and cow herd resources now set you up for the next market boom."

"Almost forgotten in Barack Obama's remarkable background and rise to power is the fact that he is a Midwesterner," writes Business Editor Dan Looker. "Obama's past support for ethanol and his plans to use green jobs to revive our economy bode well for agriculture. Agriculture isn't likely to be the first item on Obama's agenda in this time of crisis. Yet, it should be higher up on his to-do list than it was for preceding administrations."

"For the first time since the Great Depression, in the last 12 months we have witnessed lower stock prices, lower commodity prices, and lower real estate prices all at the same time," writes market analyst Alan Kluis. "What caused this historic price collapse? It's a complicated answer with many different reasons."