Peoples Perspective

As harvest across the Midwest is wrapping up, the seasonal auction sales are officially in full swing. In Iowa, our appraisal team was able to track over 7,800 acres sold in 89 tracts. The average dollar per acre was $13,043, average dollar per tillable acre was $14,423 with an average dollar per CSR2 point of $178. This is down 2% from the Q3 average. Illinois had a rally, too, with 1,830 acres selling in 24 tracts at an average dollar per acre of $15,281.

November is historically the busiest time of year for public auctions, and 2023 is no exception. The week of November 5, 61 tracts were auctioned in Iowa, 20 in Illinois, 15 in Minnesota, and 10 in Nebraska.

Louisiana is renowned for its rich culture, extensive agricultural opportunities, and diverse wildlife. Bountiful and diverse wildlife populations offer unique recreational hunting opportunities, which is the exact reason that Louisiana is referred to as the “Sportsman’s Paradise.” This article centers on Louisiana duck hunting, but waterfowl hunting is a very popular pastime across the country, particularly in the other Delta states of Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

The South Dakota Blockchain Institute held its first symposium in Sioux Falls, SD on Thursday, November 2, 2023. Most, if not all, reading this article have heard of blockchain and its association with Bitcoin or cryptocurrencies. To some, just mentioning blockchain can initiate great enthusiasm while others dismiss it with the wave of a hand.

The appraisal team at Peoples Company was able to track 57 tracts or 5,552 acres sold at public auction in Iowa during October 2023. The average dollar per acre was $12,456, the average dollar per tillable acre was $13,820, and the average dollar per CSR2 was $171.

I had the opportunity to visit one of my managed farms in central Iowa a few weeks ago. We always seek to be a good partner and building strong, positive relationships is important to our management approach. I hit the jackpot this day, as I got to share a hot meal out in the field with my farmer tenant and his family.

Julie C Barraza Boggs, AFM, Peoples Company, Monroe, LA, has been awarded the Accredited Farm Manager (AFM) designation from the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers® (ASFMRA®).

Revenue Protection (RP) provides coverage against yield losses due to natural weather causes and the decline of the commodity price between the Projected Price and Harvest Price. As we reach the end of October, the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) has been tracking the harvest price for corn and soybeans in the Midwest. This dollar amount will be released in early November and plays an important factor when determining if a grower or policyholder will have a revenue loss for the 2023 growing season.

My brother and I own land that has been in our direct family lineage for 150 years, and I am proud of this legacy. There is a general admiration for farm operations that have been in a family for several generations. However, there can be surprises in the event of a death or marriage dissolution that a family may be unaware of when there are multiple owners with varying fractions of ownership, resulting in minority ownership.

Peoples Company unveils the 2023 National Land Values report featuring data-driven research on current farmland values across the nation, trends that may impact future values, and practical stories from around the country. This exclusive webinar explores the impact of renewable energy, foreign ownership, inflation, higher interest rates, and continued geo-political pressures on farmland values.