According to a Reuters report, U.S. farmers nervous that slumping grain prices will crimp profits are increasingly leasing equipment instead of buying it, creating new risks for manufacturers like Deere & Co that could suffer from declining values for leased machinery.

Reuters reported that farmers, facing weak markets after years of cashing in on soaring crop prices, are readjusting to a new normal in which they scrutinize every expense, particularly high-ticket items like massive shiny tractors and planters.

According to Reuters, the shift toward leases is the latest ripple effect from the downturn in the farming economy, which the Agriculture Department predicts will cut net farm income by more than 30% this year to $73.6 billion, the lowest since 2007.

Reuters reported switching to equipment leases allows farmers to take advantage of historically low interest rates and frees up capital for other financial needs, such as buying seed and fertilizer and paying farmland rents.

To view the full Reutersreport, click here.