Fewer resources mean modern farm managers must be more efficient and economical with their time. Here's what you need to know about the skills that every modern-day farm manager should...
A lot of people are interested in knowing how to buy land. They are looking for land that is not just a financial investment but also is an investment in their future family. Land is the perfect...
A close look at the Livestock Enterprise Budget for Iowa in 2021 will reveal the overall estimates of production costs for regular livestock enterprises in Iowa. These estimates project average and...
Farmers in the United States use crop insurance as a risk management tool. In Iowa, 93% of soybean and corn planted area got insured in 2014; this participation rate hasn't been constant. Regardless...
Summertime is usually a period when farmers begin to devise means of managing their crops. It is especially the case in Iowa. These management practices will depend on the planting date and the goals...
During the Ice Age, as the weather became colder, ice and snow piled up and pushed out the outer edges of enormous ice sheets in the form of glaciers. A narrative describes it as similar to a pancake...
Iowa, like other parts of the world, is experiencing the effects of climate change. Though, it is more affected than the rest of the United States, according to a 2019 analysis from the Iowa Policy...
One of the common questions we often get from Iowa farmland owners is, “when is the best time to sell a farmland?” This question attracts different responses depending on the Iowa...
When we talk about rented farmland, we are more than likely talking about land that is owned by what is known as a non-operator landlord. A non-operator landlord is a person who owns the farmland but...
As someone who is familiar with farming, you know it’s a demanding industry in which to work.
But working on the farm is not only demanding for people, but also for the equipment and machinery...
Every farmer should have some idea of what their farmland is worth.
Whether they are looking to sell their land in the near future, somewhere down the road or even if they have no intention at all...
Leasing farmland can be an attractive option for many landowners. Whether they are investors, active farmers or members of a family who have inherited land, leasing can be a great option for those...
Retirement for farmers can be equal parts freeing, bittersweet and daunting. There are many emotions that go into farming when you are active that can weigh heavily on your mind when retirement age...
Buying farmland is a major opportunity. Not only does more land mean the potential for larger business operations – and hopefully higher farm revenue – but it also could be one of the...
Investors looking for a financially sound long-term investment that is highly likely to generate returns should look no further than farmland. Plus, what’s better about farmland than many other...
When you own farmland, the land’s success directly translates to your success. If you are like many landowners, though, that also means ensuring the success of a tenant farmer who is...
Crop insurance is always changing. There’s a lot to keep track of year to year and, with all those changes, plenty of misinformation and misconceptions cloud farmers’ and...
Farming is not for the faint of heart.
Though that’s likely not news to anyone involved in agriculture in any way, it’s certainly a fact that needs to be acknowledged. With all the hard...
There’s a lot to consider when weighing a decision on selling farmland. It’s a decision that should never be rushed or reached without careful research, proper partnerships and sound...
Farming isn’t for everyone, but this basic truth that just about everyone in the industry acknowledges has not been keeping some people away from trying to get their start as beginning...
Crop insurance is a farmer’s best friend when managing risk.
These programs have been around since the Great Depression, when Congress first implemented the federal crop insurance program....
Soil quality matters for every farm operation. There’s no getting around this fact. For a farm to be successful, the people who operate it must realize the vital role soil stewardship and...
Leasing farmland is a common practice. In Iowa, more than half of farmland is rented to tenant farmers, per Iowa State University. That increases to as much as two-thirds of farmland in areas of...
This is often not an easy decision and it's one that should never be reached lightly. However, the process of finding a tenant can result in an ideal partnership that can lead to better returns on...
Crop insurance is a necessity for many farmers. In fact, according to the USDA, the majority of farmland acreage in the U.S. is insured under the Federal Crop Insurance Program - more than 300...
Wetlands, known as natural water filters, are vital to protecting water sources and supplies that our population uses for drinking water and our farmers use for production.
However, many of the...
Buying farmland can be a great business move for both farmers and investors. Owning agricultural land can open the doors to many excellent tax advantages, business growth strategies and investment...
Succession is not everyone’s favorite topic. In farming, succession normally means passing on land or farm operations to a family member, heir or employee.
This process takes a lot of time and...
Farmland is an undeniably valuable asset.
Farm real estate, which includes land and structure, accounts for 80 percent of the total value of all farm assets in the United States in recent years,...
Buying farmland is always a major decision that requires having the right information. Without knowing how to get that information, though, you could be left stuck on whether or not to go through...
After a very wet spring flooded many Midwest farmers, the region’s summer weather so far has not done much to decrease the drenching of fields. Many fields are simply too wet to...
More than half of Iowa farmland is owned by someone other than the farmer. Across the United States, more than half of farmland is farmed by tenant farmers, so this is not unique to Iowa.
Likewise,...
Leasing farmland is very common.
In Iowa, more than half of farmland is rented to tenants who actually farm on the land. This varies by region, according to Iowa State University Extension and...
It's no secret that buying or selling farmland is a major step for farmers. Many farmers look to take the step or make investments for the future at some point in their careers.
In fact, according...
Crop rotation is one of the oldest land conservation practices used by farmers. In recent years, though, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service has taken an interest in promoting crop...
Toward the end of 2018, it wasn't clear whether the new Farm Bill version would be approved. Its predecessor, the 2014 Farm Bill, expired on Sept. 30. Thankfully, last month both the House and the...
Agriculture is one of the driving forces of our economy, contributing well over $992 billion each year.
Though it's a huge industry, farming is not without its risk. Crops can be damaged quickly,...
There are 35.7 million acres of land in Iowa and 30 of them are farmland.
That means 90% of the entire state is farming property. Iowa farmers are proud of their number one ranking in the United...
