Market Intelligence

State of the Farmer's Economy 2025

Who's Actually Buying Farmland Today? A Look at Iowa's 35-Year Buyer Data

Despite headlines about institutional investors and foreign buyers, existing farmers still dominate the market at 70% of purchases. Iowa's 35-year buyer survey reveals who is really buying and what that means for sellers.

June 16, 2025 · 4 min read

State of the Farmer's Economy 2025

The Capitalization Rate Puzzle: Why Farmland Prices Defy the Math

Cash rent as a percentage of land value has dropped from 8% in 1986 to roughly 2.2% today. If income alone does not justify the price, what are buyers actually paying for?

June 2, 2025 · 4 min read

State of the Farmer's Economy 2025

The Corn Belt Export Problem: Why Brazil Changes Everything for US Soybean Farmers

China's pivot to Brazilian soybeans is a structural headwind for U.S. exports, but corn markets tell a different story. Here is how global trade dynamics are reshaping commodity prices and what it means for farmland values.

May 19, 2025 · 3 min read

State of the Farmer's Economy 2025

Reading the 2025 Farmland Tea Leaves: Forces Pushing Values Up and Down

Six upward forces and three downward pressures will determine where farmland values settle in 2025-2026. Here is a balanced analysis of the market outlook from Schrader's annual farmland market review.

May 5, 2025 · 4 min read

State of the Farmer's Economy 2025

Farmland as an Inflation Hedge: The Gold vs. Ground Comparison

Productive farmland outperforms inert stores of value because it generates income while appreciating. Here is why the gold-to-farmland comparison favors ground — and what Iowa buyer data tells us about investor appetite.

April 21, 2025 · 4 min read

State of the Farmer's Economy 2025

The Renewable Energy Land Squeeze: What Solar and Wind Mean for Midwest Farmland

Renewable energy buildout is creating a new class of non-agricultural bidders for farmland that will structurally support land values for decades. Here is what the data shows and what it means for landowners.

April 7, 2025 · 3 min read

State of the Farmer's Economy 2025

Auction vs. Appraisal: Why Competitive Bidding Discovers True Farmland Value

Appraisals establish a baseline, but competitive auction bidding consistently discovers what the market will actually pay for farmland — often significantly more. Recent Indiana auction results illustrate the premium.

March 24, 2025 · 3 min read

State of the Farmer's Economy 2025

Indiana Farmland Values in 2024-2025: A Cooling Market After the Surge

Indiana farmland values peaked in late 2023 and have entered a modest correction phase. Here is what the latest Purdue and Chicago Fed data tell us about where values stand today and what sellers should consider.

March 10, 2025 · 3 min read