Photo: Brandonrush / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Every December, Iowa State University releases its Iowa Land Value Survey, the most-watched number in Iowa agriculture.
The survey asks appraisers, farm managers, realtors and lenders what land is worth in their county. It has been done since 1941.
Values climbed sharply in 2021 and 2022 as grain prices rose, then leveled off as interest rates went up and crop prices came down. North-central Iowa, including Wright County, usually ranks near the top because of its productive soils.
The numbers matter for more than land sales. They shape cash rent negotiations, estate planning and how much a farmer can borrow against their land.
Curt Hanneman writes for Clarion News Online.