Over 70 farmland leasing meetings will be held statewide during July and August, hosted by Iowa State University Extension. The meetings begin in late July and stretch through most of August. These annual meetings address questions landowners, tenants or other interested individuals have about leasing farmland. Anyone who is interested is encouraged to attend.

Topics discussed on the 2019 program include a discussion on putting conservation practices in cropland leases, a look at land values and cash rent trends, 2018 Farm Bill program decisions, the latest legal updates that impact farm leases and land ownership, and communication between tenants and landlords.

Information and updates

“Each meeting is a three-hour workshop designed to assist landowners, tenants and other agri-business professionals with current issues related to farmland ownership, management and leasing arrangements,” says Steve Johnson, ISU Extension farm management specialist in central Iowa. “Comments from past participants in these meetings indicate they appreciate and find useful the materials provided and value the depth of information covered in the short program.”

A 100-page workbook is compiled for these meetings and given to those who attend. The workbook has resources regarding land leasing agreements. These resources include surveys, example lease agreements and termination forms, along with other publications and information.

The leasing meetings held across Iowa are facilitated by ISU Extension farm management specialists. A listing of ISU Extension county offices hosting meetings is available online with additional information available through the ISU Ag Decision Maker website. For registration information, contact your local ISU Extension county office.

Preregistration encouraged

Preregister for a meeting near you; an additional $5 fee may be added if registering less than two calendar days before the meeting date. The Ag Decision Maker leasing section on ISU’s AgDM website also provides useful materials and advice for negotiating leases, along with information on various types of leases, lease forms and newly updated Decision Tools.

In Iowa, the deadline is Sept.1 to notify the other party that you want to terminate a lease or change the terms of the lease for the coming year. 

Farmland leasing meeting in Altoona July 31

The ISU Polk County Extension office will host a meeting at 7 p.m. July 31, with doors open at 6:30 p.m. The office is at 1625 Adventureland Drive in Altoona. The meeting lasts approximately three hours and will be facilitated by Steve Johnson, farm management specialist with ISU Extension.

The discussion will focus on various methods to determine a fair 2020 cash rental rate and the importance of good tenant and landlord communications. According to the Cash Rental Rates for Iowa — 2019 Survey released in mid-May, the average 2019 cash rent statewide is $219 per tillable acre, a $3-per-acre decrease compared to 2018. Average cash rents statewide stabilized in 2018 after a decline of nearly 19% from the 2013 peak. 

The recently released Iowa Land Tenure and Iowa Cash Rental Rate Surveys will also be discussed. Participants will increase their understanding of financial challenges with projections of crop supply and demand, and cash prices.

Preregistration is required at least two days before the meeting and a $20 per individual or $30 per couple fee is payable at the door. Participants will receive a 100-page booklet and meeting handouts designed to assist landowners, tenants and other agribusiness professionals with issues related to farmland ownership, management and leasing arrangements. Contact Polk County Extension at 515-957-5760 with questions or to preregister on or before July 29.