Where Landowners Get Their News

A new analysis from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition found the USDA has lost more than 20,000employees since January 2025, including significant reductions in local Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offices. Research cited by Dr. Becky Schewe found more than one-third of U.S. counties lost at least one FSA employee, 42 counties lost all FSA c...

Minnesota farmer and American Soybean Association board member Jamie Beyer discusses her recent travel to Washington, D.C., to urge lawmakers to preserve the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and how this has helped grow U.S. soybean exports to Canada and Mexico. Beyer also highlights the agreement’s support for agricultural biotechnology, noting that new seed traits can take about 13 years to...

This week, we’re joined by Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Klimesh to discuss new laws governing hydrogen exploration in the state, where companies are searching for deposits roughly 8,000 feet underground that could create new income opportunities for landowners. The legislation requires at least 25% voluntary participation in pooled land agreements, adds landowner protections, and could eventua...

Kansas Wheat CEO Justin Gilpin says drought across the Southern Plains is driving one of the smallest hard red winter wheat crops in 60 to 70 years. About 20% of Kansas acres are expected to be abandoned, with production potentially the lowest since the late 1950s after dry conditions in March and April cut yields across multiple states.

U.S. almond production is shrinking, with bearing acres declining and crop sizes falling below the roughly 3‑billion‑pound levels seen in recent years. Industry leaders say reduced supply, driven by orchard removals and water constraints, is helping stabilize prices after years of oversupply and weak margins.

Nathan Wild and Emily Woody, built their farming business in British Columbia despite starting with no land, money, or connections. After struggling with labor‑intensive production, they shifted to a farm hub model that aggregates food from neighboring farms, allowing customers to order online and receive home delivery. Their system now supports local producers, generates over $200,000 in sales, a...

Ben Tindall of Save Family Farming discusses growing tensions over water policy in Washington state, where proposed buffer expansions from 20–30 feet to as much as 200–250 feet could take significant farmland out of production. He explains how shifting water rights interpretations and increasing regulation are creating uncertainty for farmers already facing rising costs, and why the debate reflect...

Farmers and investors are awaiting USDA guidance on the 45Z tax credit, which could shape how low‑carbon crops are measured and rewarded across U.S. agriculture. Mitchell Hora of Continuum Ag said the rules could impact roughly 40% of U.S. corn and soybean acres, potentially creating new revenue opportunities tied to soil health and carbon intensity.

AcreTrader’s Drew Lipke says a new farmland investment fund is designed to give investors broader access with more flexibility than traditional farm ownership. The fund offers diversified exposure across key regions while introducing limited liquidity, allowing redemptions after 24 months while still reflecting farmland’s long-term nature.

Some U.S. farmers are facing mounting financial pressure from high input costs and tight margins, but broader agriculture remains relatively stable, according to Kansas City Fed economist Nate Kauffman. He discusses how strong farmland values, prior years of solid income, and government support are helping buffer the sector, though corn and soybean producers in the Midwest face heightened risk if...

The rapid adoption of GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy is reducing overall food consumption, creating new demand challenges for U.S. potato growers. Jamey Higham, president and CEO of the Idaho Potato Commission, says the shift could deepen potato oversupply and force growers to better align production and marketing with changing eating habits.

Bill Devens explains how the Global AgInvesting World Summit 2026 in New York City is shifting its focus based on investor feedback and evolving market priorities. The event will expand to three days and adopt a more thematic structure, emphasizing sustainability, natural capital, climate, and broader macroeconomic forces shaping agriculture. Devens notes the conference is also separating agricult...

Brad Zaun, a former Iowa state senator and current regional leader for the Small Business Administration, said the agency is expanding access to capital in rural areas through loan programs with up to 90% guarantees. The efforts focus on agriculture, food systems, and small businesses, including increasing competition in meat processing and coordinating federal and local resources to support rural...

Curt Covington of AgAmerica Lending says financial pressure is building across U.S. agriculture, with farmland values in parts of the West already declining 10–20%. He points to cash flow challenges, higher interest rates, and tighter credit as key factors affecting producers, with some farmers running out of liquidity. He discusses how regional differences are significant, with West Coast special...

Mark Mueller said a recent White House event did not include an announcement on year-round E15, instead focusing on additional farmer aid. In this week’s podcast, Mark and Dave discuss current corn supply levels, including an estimated 2 billion bushel carryout, and the role ethanol policy plays in demand. Mueller noted that E15 is currently allowed through seasonal waivers but not on a permanent,...

Brian Reisinger, author "Land Rich Cash Poor," and Davediscuss how rural economic realities, like high input costs, volatile commodity prices, and rising interest rates, are shaping conversations with farmers ahead of the 2026 midterms. Reisinger says both political parties risk missing rural voters if they fail to focus on these day-to-day financial pressures. He adds that national poli...

Joshua Manske, a former professional golfer raised on a fifth-generation farm in north central Iowa, has returned to agriculture following the end of his golf career due to injury. Growing up in a family deeply rooted in farming and land stewardship, Manske maintained a connection to agriculture even while competing internationally. Today, he manages a diversified set of roles that include farming...

As renewable energy projects expand across rural America, many landowners are weighing the benefits of wind and solar leases against concerns from neighbors and local officials. Jeff Risley, executive director of Renewable Energy Farmers of America, says the key question for many farmers seeking financial stability in a volatile agricultural economy is how to find reasonable compromises that allow...

Dave and Ethan talk about how a little-known tax strategy called a 721 exchange could help farmland owners exit land ownership without triggering immediate capital gains taxes. Ethan Branscum of Sower Farmland explains how the structure allows landowners to contribute farmland into apartnership in exchange for units in a diversified farmland portfolio. The approach can also make it easier for fami...

An 86-year-old Pennsylvania farmer turned down a nearly $15 million data center offer for his 261-acre farm, prioritizing preservation over profit. With guidance from Jeff Swinehart of Lancaster Farmland Trust, who has spent decades helping landowners protect farmland through conservation easements and partnerships with local townships, the farmer was able to sell his development rights for about...

Longtime Midwest land broker Dennis Reyman of Stalcup Agricultural Services, examines who is really buying farmland in 2026 and why 70 to 80 percent of purchases still come from farmers within a 6 to 10 mile radius. Reyman also breaks down why livestock-intensive areas are driving $20,000-plus per acre sales, how quality differences are widening price gaps, and what renewable diesel, E15, and Sout...

Waylon Brown, Regional Policy Manager for Clean Grid Alliance, outlines both the economic opportunities and political tensions surrounding wind, solar, and battery storage development in rural America. As electricity demand accelerates and states like Iowa produce more energy than they consume, Brown argues that permitting reform, grid upgrades, and local decision-making will determine whether rur...

Wyoming State Rep. Jacob Wasserburger is proposing a modern Homestead Act that would allow Wyoming residents to buy 10-acre parcels of state land for just $1 per acre if they build a home. The plan could open up as much as 16,000 acres for rural housing, aiming to expand supply without fueling boom-and-bust growth or private equity ownership.

UK farmland adviser Ed Blundy discusses how emerging technologies from artificial intelligence to advanced energy systems could reshape where and how food is grown by easing constraints around power and water. He also emphasizes that despite rapid innovation, long term farming success still depends on land stewardship, policy, and sound farm economics.

Charles Whitaker, a founding equity partner at UK-based Brown&Co, says institutional investors have historically helped stabilize agriculture during periods of financial stress by providing long-term capital while keeping farmers on the land. Drawing on more than 35 years of experience, Whitaker says rising operating costs, consolidation, and succession challenges are again increasing the need...