What is a fair price for cropland that could be periodically flooded? Does a forced bank sale still attract buyers? What’s grassland worth if it's infested with prairie dogs?

The answers to those questions and others can be found in recent auction and private land sales:

High producing quarter sold

Approximately 164 acres in McCook County, S.D., sold earlier this year $3,658 per acre. The sale bill described the property as a “gently rolling, high producing quarter with approximately 74 high producing cropland acres with the balance in grass acres, with a small stream running north to south through the quarter.

This farm is well located in a powerful farming community close to ag markets and would make a great addition to anyone’s farming operation.”  — Auction managed and conducted by Farmers National Co. farmersnational.com.

$670 per acre for western South Dakota grazing unit

A 960-acre grazing unit approximately 12 miles north of Rapid City. S.D., sold for $670 per acre at an auction in June.

The property was “heavily infested with prairie dogs, about 45% or so,” the auctioneer reported. — Auction managed and conducted by Martin Jurisch and Associates, New Underwood, S.D. Phone: Phone: 605-348-5261. martinjurisch.com/wordpress/auctions.

High productivity rating

One hundred and fifty seven acres in Traill County, N.D., near Hatton sold for $4,777 per acre. Over two-thirds of tillable acres contain Glyndon silt loam soils. The overall productivity rating is 85.7.

The seller reserved 50% of oil and gas minerals. — Auction managed and conducted by Farmers National Co. farmersnational.com.

Bank sells North Dakota land in online auction

A bank sold 629 acres in eastern Barnes County, N.D., in an online auction for an average of $1,984 per acre. The property consisted of mostly tillable cropland, with some cropland enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program. It also has some land in U.S. Fish and Wildlife easements and a 15-acre farmstead.

The property sold in two tracks to two different buyers. Tract 1, consisting of 278 acres of cropland, 23 acres of CRP and land in USFW easements, sold for $2,097 per deeded acre, or $2,331 per cropland acre. Tract 2, which consisted of 274 acres of cropland, 68 acres of CRP and a 15-acre farmstead but no USFW easements, sold for $1,875 per deeded acre or $2,181 per cropland acre. — Auction managed and conducted by Steffes Group, West Fargo, N.D., Phone: 701-237-9173. steffesgroup.com.

Upstream from the Fargo Diversion

Approximately 140 acres in Richland County, N.D., recently sold for $4,617 per acre. The land has a productivity index of 80.8. It is adjacent to U.S. Highway 81, immediately south of Christine, N.D.

Some of the property is located in the upstream easement area of the proposed Fargo-Moorhead Diversion. — Auction managed and conducted by Farmers National Co. farmersnational.com.