WATERLOO, Iowa — The Iowa State University Extension & Outreach of Black Hawk County office has scheduled a Farmland Leasing and Management workshop for Tuesday, August 13th at 1:00pm at Hawkeye Community College.
More than half of Iowa farmland is rented. In some Iowa locations, as much as 70 percent of the land is farmed by farmers who don’t own the land.
In Northeast Iowa, the result is many conversations and negotiations between farmland owners and producer-tenants to determine what makes sense for farmland leases and cash rental rates – both fixed rent and flexible arrangements. Strong landlord/tenant relationships are important for the long-term viability of Iowa’s farming communities.
These are just a few reasons why Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offers workshops designed to answer questions that land owners and tenants have about farmland leasing and land management issues.
These workshops will be held across northeast Iowa counties starting July 29 through August 15.
Melissa O’Rourke, ISU Extension Farm & Agribusiness Management Specialist will present a wide range of topics related to farmland leasing and management.
O’Rourke is a licensed attorney with extensive experience in working with farm, ranch and agribusiness interests.
“Year after year, I receive numerous contacts from persons who have questions about farmland values and rental rates,” says O’Rourke.
“The interest in and conversations about farm leasing arrangements continues to grow, and 2019 is no different,” O’Rourke noted. “We always have good attendance and discussion at these meetings.”
“Due to the volatility of commodity and land markets, we have seen had increased inquiries regarding both fixed and flexible cash lease methodologies,” says O’Rourke. “There are dozens of methods for putting together flexible cash lease arrangements, and we will work through several examples.”
O’Rourke also noted that ISU research indicates that on average, cash rent values across the state have declined for several years. The most recent ISU cash rent survey showed steady rents to slight declines in Iowa.
O’Rourke has also seen that farmland owners and producer-tenants need to have more conversation about the cost of inputs to put in the crop and reasonable expectations on profit margins.
“ISU Extension and Outreach has good resources for people to use to gain an understanding of how crop input costs can be considered in setting cash lease rates, and I’ll show how those can be used.”
O’Rourke also noted the increasing age of farmland owners. “ISU Extension research indicates that the average age of farmland owners continues to rise,” stated O’Rourke. “Fifty-five percent of Iowa’s farmland is owned by people over the age of 65, while 28 percent of the land is owned by individuals over age 75. We find that children and surviving spouses may be less likely to continue operating the farm themselves. That’s a major reason why farmland leasing continues to increase.”
O’Rourke encourages anyone with an interest in farmland rental rates to attend these meetings. “Both farmland owners and producer-tenants should attend. In fact, the ideal situation is for these folks to attend together and then sit down at the kitchen table to discuss their farm lease arrangements for the coming year.”
Workshop attendees will receive a comprehensive workbook packed with information about land values, leasing and different types of farm lease arrangements. “Everyone should leave with a heightened understanding of farmland leasing and land management issues.”
A registration fee of $20 per person is charged to cover costs including a 100 page workbook. Pre-registration is preferred by calling the ISU Extension & Outreach Black Hawk County office at 319-234-6811. Walk-ins may attend for a $25.00 fee at the door.
For more information please contact, Sheila Walitshek (Office Assistant) at 319-234-6811, sheilaw@iastate.edu at the local Black Hawk County Extension and Outreach office in Waterloo, Iowa.
Iowa State University Extension builds partnerships and provides research-based learning opportunities to improve quality of life in Iowa. Businesses, farmers, communities, or families turn to Iowa State University Extension for our unbiased, research-based information and education to help Iowans make better decisions today and tomorrow. Extension staff members present information for everyday living through public programs & workshops, direct mail, radio, television, and newspapers. Staff members also provide one-on-one counseling, assist various organizations & businesses, and organize conferences, workshops and educational courses. For more information on Extension, go to: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/blackhawk/.
— Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Black Hawk County
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