News, Insights & Interviews Archive

Joel Salatin speaking at the 2026 Land Investment Expo Joel Salatin does not take a conventional approach. While discussing agriculture young people love, Salatin was an atypical figure on the stage at the lunch keynote session of the 2026 Land Investment Expo in Des Moines, Iowa. Salatin is a self-proclaimed “Christian, libertarian, environmentalist, capitalist, lunatic farmer.” He even sells “lunatic farmer’ t-shirts as part of his merchandising line. Lunatic Farmer t-shir

As longtime investment strategist Ed Yardeni set to begin 2026, he was already thinking about the year’s second quarter. He offered a measured outlook: slower inflation, steady growth, and lingering uncertainty tied to Washington and global trade. Yardeni, President of Yardeni Research , has been a highly sought-after analyst on CNBC, Bloomberg Television, Fox Business, and the Wall Street Journal. His insight on global investment strategies is formed by deep dives into finan

Following who buys farmland is an important indicator for how the market is performing across the country. New investors want the stability it provides. At the 2026 Iowa Land Investment Expo, the Hot Topics in Land and Agribusiness breakout session, panelists detailed the uncertain trend of mergers and acquisitions. New Entrants into Farmland Sector There is ongoing, structural change in agriculture according to Bruce Sherrick, a professor of farmland economics at the Univers

corn harvesting silos in background

Technology has consistently influenced farming, from the steel plow to GPS tractors. But as global pressures around food security, energy, and water intensify, the next wave of innovation may not just improve yields; it could redefine where and how food is grown.

With 2025 in the rearview mirror, what’s ahead for farmers and landowners in 2026? That question can cause anxiety for those who make their living off the land. Jim Knuth, senior vice president of lending in Iowa for Farm Credit Services of America, said that when he looks at what happened last year, there is reason to be cautious—but also optimistic. Knuth spoke during one of the breakout sessions at the Land Investment Expo held earlier this month in Des Moines, Iowa. Her

The question of whether institutional investors are good for agriculture is not new. It has surfaced repeatedly over the last half-century, often during periods of economic stress or structural change in farming. These days with some farmers burdened by the higher cost of operating and borrowing combined with the lower return for commodities, they may question how they can keep going forward.

National security, farm policy, and modernization are key priorities for the Trump Administration’s U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Speaking at the morning keynote address of the 2026 Land Investment Expo, USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden spoke on some of the most important topics happening at the federal level. Foreign Ownership of U.S. Farmland With security as a priority, Vaden emphasized the USDA’s commitment to enforce and monitor the Agriculture Foreign Inves

Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcast For many farm owners today, the question isn’t whether change is coming; it’s how to respond to it without jeopardizing everything they have built. Commodity markets remain volatile, input costs stay stubbornly high, and consolidation continues to squeeze margins. Virginia farmer, author, and outspoken agricultural thinker Joel Salatin offers a significantly different perspective for thinking about growth, resilience, and transition. Joel S

For much of the last decade, the national conversation about the U.S. economy has revolved around inflation, interest rates, and inequality. But according to veteran economist Ed “Dr. Ed” Yardeni, one of the most powerful forces shaping the current and future economy is far less discussed: America’s aging population. Yardeni -- noted national analyst on CNBC, Bloomberg Television, Fox Business, the Wall Street Journal and elsewhere -- is the President of Yardeni Research and

By any measure, the United States is standing on the edge of an unprecedented economic shift. Trillions of dollars are moving from one generation to the next, reshaping investment decisions, markets, and, potentially, the future of rural America. Ronald Diamond, Diamond Wealth Founder and Chairman, told American Farmland Owner from his office in Northbrook, Illinois, that he believes an historic wealth transfer is underway from the Baby Boomer generation, and it will impact a

Reducing immigrants in the United States will hurt U.S. agriculture short-term and the country overall longer-term geopolitical strategist Peter Zeihan believes.

Steve Eisman, the renowned investor known for predicting the 2008 financial crisis, was a featured speaker at the 18th Annual Land Expo.

By: Brooke Bouma Kohlsdorf Edited by: Dave Price The Pacific Northwest is known for its natural beauty. The mountains, forests, and coastline may come to mind when you picture this area of the country. This region is also famous for what it grows. (Apples, anyone?) According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the Northwest is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the country with 40 million acres of farmland and $7 billion in sales in 2021. RELATED

By: David Geiger Edited by: Dave Price A new presidential term started off this week with an emphasis on President Trump’s America First policy. A part of that is a push to bring innovation and manufacturing back to America. RELATED: Domestic production can be a bipartisan effort. Earlier this month, Reuters reported the Biden Administration blocked a U.S. Steel merger with Nippon Steel. The new Trump Administration also vowed to kill the effort. While a new administratio

SPOTIFY | APPLE PODCASTS One country attacked another (Russia’s invasion of Ukraine), which limited some agricultural supplies (Ukraine is one of the world’s top producers of sunflower oil, barley, maize, and wheat). Numerous countries, including the United States, are still dealing with inflationary pressures from the global pandemic. Extreme weather always seems to be causing chaos to people, livestock, and food production. The combinations of those challenges make the

By: Brooke Bouma Kohlsdorf Edited by: Dave Price Kyle Bass is the kind of person who has strong opinions and doesn’t mind sharing them. You never have to wonder how he really feels about an issue. “President Biden is the first President in United States history to actively & intentionally compromise the national security of our country.” Bass posted on X/Twitter January 7, 2025. That criticism was leveled at Biden for failing

By: David Geiger Edited by: Dave Price Whether it's wind, solar, or biofuel, farmers have been harvesting power on their land for decades. As technology improves efficiency, landowners see more potential in it. "I've moved to be much more bullish on solar here over the past year than I have been previously," says Dave Muth with People's Company Capital Markets. He points to wind energy. It has good gains and profitability for landowners in today's climate. Winds brings nearl

Spotify | Apple Podcasts Mike Naig gets a view from two important angles: his family’s century farm and his position as Iowa Secretary of Agriculture. And he knows that one can impact the other. And there is a lot to consider. “I think folks kind of feel like, ‘we're plateauing a little bit here, and there's got to be something that changes that dynamic here in ‘25.’ So, definitely under pressure,” Naig told American Farmland Owner from his office at the Iowa State Capitol

SPOTIFY | APPLE PODCASTS How many newspapers do you get delivered to your home? How many magazines? If you are a typical household, your answer to those questions is likely “none” or “not many.” A Pew Research study from September found that just 4% of Americans reported that they consume news information via print. RELATED: Read the Pew Research Study here that shows how dominant digital is for the medium by which Americans get their news. Marc Brinkmeyer doesn’t need to