Where Landowners Get Their News

Mindy Larsen, CEO of the Iowa Egg Council and North Central Poultry Association, is leading efforts to support the egg and poultry industry amid significant challenges. Once focused on beef, she now deals with rising egg prices driven by inflation, supply chain costs, and the devastating impact of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). With an additional 20% increase in egg prices forecasted fo...

After his keynote at the 18th Annual Land Investment Expo in Des Moines, Iowa, Eurasia Group Chairman Cliff Kupchan sat down with AFO to discuss the political challenges impacting agriculture and global stability. He highlighted how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted key agricultural exports, worsening inflation already fueled by the pandemic. Kupchan attributed much of this turmoil to a globa...

Farmland remains a resilient and valuable asset, even amidst economic pressures and uncertainty in 2024. This week, we speak with Dr. Bruce Sherrick, a leading expert in land economics, about the four key factors shaping the market—interest rates, inflation, income trends, and increased uncertainty. With decades of experience and insights into farmland’s 10.29% average annual return, Dr. Sherrick...

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig offers a dual perspective on agriculture, balancing insights from his family’s century farm with the complex realities of leading the state’s agricultural sector. He faces mounting challenges, including lower commodity prices, high input costs, inflation, and persistent borrowing expenses. Compounding these issues are external forces such as recovery from re...

Marc Brinkmeyer, owner and chairman of Idaho Forest Group, brings nearly 50 years of experience in the lumber industry. Despite past booms, the sector now faces challenges as lumber prices have plummeted due to reduced housing starts and higher borrowing costs. Brinkmeyer highlights the need to find new uses for timber as demand for paper products has fallen with the shift to digital media. Beyond...

Dave Chatterton, Director of Commodities at Strategic Farm Marketing and Futures, predicts tough times ahead for farmland owners and producers, with challenges around cash flow, equity, and operations. He emphasizes the need to stay informed about crop insurance, commodity pricing, and policy changes, especially amid long-term fiscal uncertainty despite a short-term Farm Bill extension. Chatterton...

Randy Feenstra, a Republican congressman representing northwest Iowa's agriculture-heavy district, is navigating political drama in Washington, D.C., during Congress's final days of 2024. Amid gridlock over the Farm Bill and a temporary spending measure to avoid a government shutdown, Feenstra remains focused on his district’s priorities. These include addressing challenges like bird flu outbreaks...

Brian Reisinger is a fourth-generation family farmer from southern Wisconsin who uses his background in writing, politics, and public policy to advocate for the preservation of family farms in America. In his book, Land Rich, Cash Poor: My Family’s Hope and the Untold History of the Disappearing American Farmer, Reisinger explores the struggles of small-scale farmers facing economic challenges, re...

Terry Engelken, Vice President of Washington State Bank in Iowa, embraces the motto “Adversity creates opportunity.” Despite challenges in his Midwest community, largely driven by agriculture, Engelken remains optimistic. Hog producers are slowly recovering from financial difficulties as hog prices improve and grain costs decline. However, farmland values have shown mixed trends, with marginal lan...

J. Kyle Bass, founder of Conservation Equity Management and Hayman Capital Management, blends a contrarian investment approach with a commitment to environmental conservation. Known for his accurate predictions—such as the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis—Bass combines financial expertise with a focus on land and timberland investments. He enhances biodiversity and ecosystem value through techniques...

Dr. Ernie Goss, the Jack A. MacAllister Chair in Regional Economics at Creighton University, provides key insights into the rural Midwest economy through his Rural Mainstreet Index. This monthly survey of financial leaders in small agricultural communities across 10 states highlights current trends, including challenges such as declining farm equipment sales, reduced farmland prices, and financial...

This week, Steve Bruere, President of Peoples Company, shared insights into the evolution of the Land Investment Expo, an annual event he founded in 2008. Bruere described the expo as a platform for thought-provoking discussions on agriculture, finance, policy, and politics, featuring high-profile speakers like Martha Stewart, T. Boone Pickens, Donald Trump, and Drew Bledsoe. Reflecting on the exp...

Richard Vague challenges the common perception of debt as inherently negative, urging people to consider the type and context of debt instead. While many focus on the federal debt, which now approaches $36 trillion, Vague sees private sector debt as a far more significant economic factor. Drawing from his diverse background in banking, venture capital, and government roles, Vague argues that priva...

Denise Greer Jamerson and her multi-generational family have dedicated themselves not only to sustaining their historic Indiana farm but also to empowering other Black and minority farmers facing limited resources and support. Through Greer Farms and the newly founded Legacy Taste of the Garden, the family produces and distributes fresh produce to their community, supports food pantries and school...

Austin Frerick, a seventh-generation Iowan, is on a mission to address monopolistic practices in the American food industry, which he believes are detrimental to family farmers and consumers alike. Formerly a farm kid, Frerick has since dedicated nearly two decades to studying agricultural, tax, and antitrust policies. His book, Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry ,...

Ron Kean, a faculty associate and extension specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, expresses concern over the abrupt shutdown of the Pure Prairie Poultry processing plant in Charles City, Iowa. The closure leaves farmers in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin scrambling to manage nearly two million chickens, as the company stops payments and refuses to take responsibility for the birds. Far...

Beth Hoffman, a journalist with a three-decade career focused on agriculture and food, never imagined she would one day run a farm in rural Iowa. After meeting and marrying her husband, John Hogeland, she transitioned from city life to managing a 570-acre farm in Monroe County. Hoffman uses her journalistic background to write about sustainable farming and share stories of farmers through her colu...

This week, Esther George, former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, discusses the Fed's bold decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of the U.S. economy, and what lies ahead. George reflects on how the Fed managed the crisis, the impact on different income groups, and her predictions for future rate cuts. She also issues a warning about the unsustainable path of federa...

Carl Evers III, AgIS Capital’s Director of Sustainability and Vice President of California operations, is optimistic about the future of California's nut industry, particularly for almond producers, while cautioning that the wine sector may continue to struggle as younger consumers gravitate toward alternative beverages. Evers advocates for patience regarding California's Sustainable Groun...

Curt Covington, Senior Director of Managed Accounts at AgAmerica Lending, believes the current dynamics in the agricultural sector—low commodity prices and high input costs—are unsustainable. He predicts that the price of farmland, which has continued to appreciate despite these challenges, may soon face a correction. Covington, who has extensive experience in agricultural finance, highlights the...

Curt Blades, Senior Vice President of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, sees the agricultural equipment industry undergoing "adjustments," not collapse, despite headlines about layoffs. He likens the situation to storm clouds, with farmers delaying major purchases due to lower commodity prices and reduced farm income. Tractor sales have dropped, and manufacturers are reducing p...

Dr. Jeff Bonar, a computer scientist with a background in software development, shifted his focus towards environmental sustainability by exploring green methanol as a solution to reduce carbon emissions. Realizing that carbon accounting software was impractical for farmers, Bonar founded CapCO2 Solutions, which partners with ethanol plants to capture carbon dioxide emissions and convert them into...

In this week's interview, Pro Farmer Editor Brian Grete shares his experiences from the annual Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour, where he and a team of 100 volunteers inspect corn and soybean fields across seven states. Grete talks about the careful process of gathering data and making yield predictions that are closely watched by farmers, investors, and the agricultural industry. He highlights th...

Paul Neiffer, a farm owner and certified public accountant specializing in agricultural taxes, warns of challenging times ahead for U.S. farmers. With farm incomes predicted to drop in 2024 due to high input costs and lower commodity prices, Neiffer sees parallels to the difficult farming conditions of the 2010s. Despite this, he remains optimistic about the long-term potential of farmland. Drawin...

Kate Stephens is a 20-year-old college student, farmer, emerging social media creator, and fashion designer from rural Great Falls, Montana. Her passion lies in inspiring young women to become leaders in agriculture. Through her YouTube channel, "Kate’s Ag – Farm to Fashion," she shares her life on the farm, aiming to bridge the gap between the farming and non-farming communities. With o...