A recent confidence survey by Rabobank has found that New Zealand farmers remain relatively confident about the agricultural economic outlook.

The bank says high commodity prices have helped sustain that confidence, despite global uncertainty, but that uncertainty remains top of the mind.

And that uncertainty is reflected in a slight increase, from 10 to 12 per cent, of farmers who expect conditions to worsen.

Confidence is highest among beef and sheep farmers, and overall the survey shows farmers remain more confident about expectations of their own farm business performance, than the broader agricultural economy.