OMAHA, N.E.(KELO)- Business and farm borrowers may have a tougher time borrowing money.

Creighton University economics professor Ernie Goss says his monthly survey of community bankers in the region is trending negative.

Over a quarter of the bankers have tightened credit standards for farm borrowers…and over a third have taken that action for business borrowers.

Our regional economy is growing more sluggish.

That, according to the monthly Rural Mainstreet Index, a survey of bankers in the ten-state region.

The bankers are tightening standards even more for business borrowers.

Another finding of the monthly rural mainstreet index is farm equipment sales are down, and may be going lower.

Bankers are tightening credit standards for farm and business borrowers.

Creighton University Economics Professor Ernie Goss says that will make it tougher to do business in farm country.

High consumer debt is eating into retail sales, and higher mortgage rates are hitting the housing market.