News, Insights & Interviews Archive

Every land sale tells a story. Sometimes it’s a stocked lake that took years to build. Sometimes it’s world-class soils, a rare large tract, or a location where land rarely comes up for sale. American Farmland Owner examined four notable land sales from 2026 and highlighted what made each property unique and what the final sale price says about land values in today’s agricultural economy. While these four farms are different in many ways, they shared an important characterist

Farm in Edwards County, Illinois. Photo courtesy of Kurtz Auction & Realty. A 1,277-acre farm in southeastern Illinois sold for nearly $10.5 million during a July 9 auction after being divided into 22 tracts. The property, located near West Salem and Albion, brought a total of $10,500,000 averaging $8,222 per acre. The auction was managed by Jason Blue of Kurtz Auction & Realty, who said it was the largest property he has handled this year. Despite the size of the sale, and t

Image Courtesy: Whitetail Properties Real Estate A nearly $1.5 million recreational property in northeast Missouri sold in just a few weeks this spring, offering another sign that demand for quality hunting and recreational land remains strong across the state. The 122.6-acre property in Pike County, near Bowling Green, checked many of the boxes today's recreational buyers are looking for: excellent hunting ground, tillable acreage, and a trail system that makes it easy to ge

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released updated information on farmland ownership in the United States and how much of that land is rented to others. The 2024 Tenure, Ownership, and Transition of Agricultural Land (TOTAL) Survey is part of the Census of Agriculture program and is designed to provide a clearer picture of farmland ownership and management across the country. One of the report's key findings is that farmland ownership remains concentrated among older, no

Farmers could learn within the next month whether additional lawsuits may move forward about claims that agricultural pesticides cause cancer. The U.S. Supreme Court heard a case in April that could have broad implications in the search for answers about what is causing an increase in cancer diagnoses in certain parts of the country. It would also impact companies that make pesticides and herbicides, and agricultural producers who rely on weed and pest killers on their farms.

A man in one country and a woman from another country who randomly met at a concert, dated long-distance, and started as farmers largely by persistence and the generosity of an older couple, hope that others can replicate their agricultural pathway to profitability. Although, they don’t expect others to follow their exact steps.

Water has always been life in agriculture. In Washington state, it’s also become a source of tension for some family farmers.

Taxpayers have stepped in with billions of dollars in aid after Del Monte’s bankruptcy that led to the closure of the company’s California canneries in Modesto and Hughson that left cling peach growers without a processor for their 75,000 tons of product. California lawmakers lobbied the USDA for emergency aid for peach farmers, which led to a $9 million assistance package. “Following our urging to the Trump administration to deliver relief to peach farmers, I am pleased that

Following his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Donald Trump is now expressing support for Chinese ownership of U.S. farmland. “You want to see farm prices drop? You want to see farmers lose a lot of money?” Trump said during an interview with Fox’s Sean Hannity, “Just take that (Chinese ownership) out of the market.” Trump had previously been critical of Chinese owners buying American farms. “We’re going to protect it by saying, ‘You can’t come. You can’t

Corteva selects Johnston, Iowa, for its new seed business HQ, reinforcing the state’s role as a hub for agricultural innovation.

Photo Courtesy INTX: The Internet & Television Expo - 2000 Most Americans who have no connection to agriculture may remember Ted Turner as the founder of CNN and the unconventional visionary who changed television by creating the first 24-hour news cable television network, winning America’s Cup, and purchasing his hometown baseball team (the Atlanta Braves, a team he briefing managed after firing the manager). But Turner later devoted some of his interests to agriculture whe

The rapid rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs is reshaping how Americans eat. And that shift is beginning to slice through one of the country’s most iconic crops: potatoes. For growers, particularly in states like Idaho, Washington, Wisconsin, and Colorado, the health phenomenon could lead to piles of potatoes unless the potato industry can overcome this latest challenge.

Listen and subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts The Global AgInvesting World Summit in New York City has long been a bellwether event for institutional capital flowing into agriculture. This year, the gathering of 700 people from across the globe will see a change in focus to reflect issues that will shape the agricultural landscape for years to come. “For ’26, there were things that were a lot different than ’25,” said Global AgInvesting World Summit Conference P

A new set of long-term projections from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) points to a subtle but important shift in the U.S. farm economy: a significant reduction in the number of acres used to plant row crops over the next ten years. Economists with the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois outlined this trend and wrote about what it means for farmers and landowners on the farmdoc website. Ten-Year USDA Outlook Total Planted

Younger generations haven’t been drinking nearly as much milk as their parents’ generation or especially their grandparents’ generation. But America’s new focus on higher protein consumption could increase demand for dairy products. The country’s newfound use of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss has emphasized the need for protein to maintain muscle mass. GLP-1 drugs have helped decrease appetite for adults, but they can also lead to decreased muscle during the weight loss process.

DEI disdain trumped a federal program that provided funding for some beginning farmers in 40 states. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has become a target by Republican-led governmental entities across the United States over the past several years amid criticism that the efforts to aid groups that have faced discrimination are themselves racist. Supporters of DEI say that the programs help various demographic communities that have not had the same economic opportunities that o

A northern Kentucky community has overcome the Great Depression a century ago and a poverty rate nearly twice the national average. Residents have been tested again and again. But few of Mason County’s 17,000 residents in Mayfield demonstrated their commitment to the community, their traditions, and their land more than Ida Huddleston and her daughter Delsia Bare. Because of that commitment, the mother and daughter may be the most famous residents since legendary singer and a

First came the fast-moving wildfires, damage, and agony. Then came the help from fellow farmers who always seem to rise to the moment to help another farmer in need. High winds and dry conditions fueled some of the worst fires in the history of Nebraska this month, burning more than 800,000 acres and reshaping the outlook for farmers and ranchers heading into the growing season. At the center of the devastation was the Morrill Fire. That fire scorched more than 640,000 acres

Brian Reisinger has worked for a governor who ran for president, a U.S. Senator who ran for president, and another U.S. Senator who thought about running for president. These days, Reisinger has put politics aside as he has focused full-time on agriculture, his business, and his young family.

With the United States in the middle of a fierce debate on which immigrants should be allowed to legally remain and work in the United States, people like Sharon Krause is focused on opportunities for those committed to making a living on the farm. Should all people who entered the country illegally be forced to leave? Should only those who have violent criminal records be removed? Should everyone who overstayed a temporary visa get deported? Those questions and others have d