Over the years, farmers have developed a number of strategies to increase their yields. One of the most important strategies is crop rotation – a system of planting different crops in various...
Bidding at an auction is efficient and rewarding, but some bidders may find the terminology used at auctions to be quite confusing. When it comes to auctions, there are several terms that you should...
Farming and land ownership can provide a steady income, but farming also involves large investments and risks. Protecting these investments is essential for the success of any farm or land owner,...
Overseeing a successful farm requires more than planting the right seeds for your crops—though that’s definitely important, too. Farmland property can be very valuable for the manager and...
If you're considering selling your farmland, one of the most important decisions you'll need to make is how you’ll sell it. While traditional methods like listing your property with a real...
As a landowner, you may consider selling your property at some point. Like selling a home, there is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to the best time to sell your land. However,...
Land is a significant and valuable investment. When the moment arrives to sell, many landowners seek strategies to optimize their profit. Assess these many benefits of using a broker for selling land...
One of the biggest questions anyone will have before an auction is how long does it last? Knowing how long it will take for you to browse, bid, and go home is important if you’re planning to...
One of the most profitable and expedient methods of selling farmland is through auction. This method has both short-term and long-term benefits that can help you maximize your returns on the sale of...
Having a successful, mutually beneficial agreement between farmland owners and tenant farmers benefits all involved. However, negotiating a fair and profitable lease can be complicated.
To help...
Farmland auctions help buyers find great properties at great values, which they can use for their own farming needs. For sellers, these events are opportunities to profit from their land, so...
Modern property auctions are versatile enough to suit a lot of buyers’ and sellers’ needs in many ways. You can go to a traditional auction in person, and often to the property that is up...
Bidding on property during an auction isn’t something you should do on a whim. Walking into an auction with a clear plan will help you get ahead of the competition in the room. This is your...
Real estate and farmland offer valuable opportunities for sellers and buyers alike. Getting the best value for both parties requires knowing all the buying options available, such as auctions. So,...
Buying land and buying homes seems similar at first glance. So, it’s easy to forget that there is a big difference between them. Learn how to prepare for a sale and accurately list your...
Working on a farm can be dangerous if you don’t take the necessary precautions. Whether it’s operating heavy machinery, working with hazardous chemicals, or dealing with unpredictable...
Are you a landowner looking to work with a tenant farmer? Do you want the best possible result for both parties? If so, this guide is for you.
Working with a tenant farmer can bring many benefits to...
Farmers and landowners have long faced the challenge of protecting their crops from weather, pests, disease and other damaging factors. Thanks to crop insurance, though, they have access to financial...
Want to protect a special feature or natural characteristic of your farmland but don’t want to give up ownership?
That’s exactly what a conservation easement is for – and it is an...
A farm's value cannot be overstated. As an asset, farmland is incredibly valuable. The question that is top of mind for many landowners, though, is how much is their farm worth.
According to the...
Whether you need to get in a better place financially or are ready to capitalize on a long-term investment, selling farmland can be a great way to generate a substantial cash influx.
And when we say...
Every major purchase requires due diligence. With a purchase as pricy and as important for meeting financial goals as buying farmland, all that research becomes even more critical.
It’s not...
The calendar has turned over and it’s time to put plans for the new year into full focus. New year, new you, as the saying goes.
Hopefully, 2022 was a good year for your farm and your family...
Responsible soil stewardship is one of the most important practices a landowner can value. Farmers simply would not be able to maintain consistently healthy yields without soil stewardship.
Though...
Farmers can often lose sleep over many different issues. But good crop insurance hopefully helps take a little bit of weight off their shoulders.
Crop insurance protects farmers and agricultural...
Fall is here. For farmers, that means harvest is here, as well.
In the best years, harvest is rewarding. But even when the rewards of the countless hours of hard work that led to this point are...
One of the best places to purchase farmland is at property auctions. You have a better chance of buying land at a favorable cost, and it is also fast. While that is the case, going to a property...
Farmers face many risks, and financial strife is one of the most critical. Due to price fluctuations, legal issues, and production problems, farmers may make less income than anticipated. Financial...
You expect to get high yields as you direct your attention and resources to your farm. The productivity of your farm is essential as it drives the growth of your farming operations and income.
To...
Unsure of what contract farming is? Have questions about the process? This guide will answer everything you need to know.
If you're a farmer, you know that the farming industry is constantly...
Getting the right farmland is not easy. However, with a good checklist, you can purchase a property that meets your agricultural needs. Get information on the critical factors to think about before...
Farm expenditure can be difficult to track, especially if you are not used to doing so. Start by evaluating your current expenses and make cuts where necessary. Look for ways to reduce costs without...
Did you know that the agriculture and food industry is one of the world's largest and most important industries? It employs millions of people and generates billions of dollars in revenue each...
Find out how you and other farmers in your area can work together to turn around your fortunes.
Small farmers with limited resources and skills have common challenges and can benefit from working...
Starting a farm from scratch is no easy task. A lot of people want to start one but don't know where to begin. When you're trying to decide how much work is involved in starting a successful farm,...
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...
