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

American consumers may get a break, while American cattle ranchers just got some added competition. President Donald Trump followed through with his talk about importing more beef from Argentina, where his political ally is president. Trump signed off on a deal to quadruple the amount of beef from Argentina coming into the United States as he acknowledged record beef prices. Part of his announcement proclamation read: “As President of the United States, I have a responsibili

For rural landowners, renewable energy remains one of the most talked-about — and misunderstood — developments shaping the countryside. Waylon Brown, Regional Policy Manager for Clean Grid, sees both the promise and the growing pains facing wind, solar, and battery storage across the Midwest.

$22,200 per acre 75.513 m/l acres in Effingham County, Illinois January 21, 2026 A high-quality tract in Effingham County, Illinois sold at public auction on January 21, 2026, bringing $22,200 per acre for a total of approximately $1.68 million. The property, located in Bishop Township northwest of Dieterich, consisted of 75.513 m/l acres of productive cropland with a strong 109.3 Productivity Index. The Krabbe-Spitz farm featured excellent access along E. 1200th Avenue and N

A 154-acre farm near Indianola, Iowa, sold at auction this January for $1.54 million, but it wasn’t a typical land sale. Along with the ground came one important condition: the longtime owner, Gwen Hodson, 93, will be allowed to remain in the farmhouse for the rest of her life.

Excitement rippled across the agriculture community this week after the IRS released long-awaited proposed rules for the 45Z tax credit . “Oh, it’s a good day,” said Mitchell Hora, founder and CEO of Continuum Ag, in a news conference to respond to the announcement. RELATED: Hora told American Farmland Owner last July that 45Z would lead to a surge in carbon awareness for landowners. The Biden administration created the 45Z credit under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act to e

A critical part of the rural economy – manufacturing – has continued the slide that began in 2025 and has stretched into 2026, according to Creighton University economist, Dr. Ernie Goss. Goss, who has held his position for 34 years, helps conduct a monthly survey of supply managers to measure the economy in nine states: Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and South Dakota. The manufacturing sector got some recent relief, Goss said i

No growth provides no future. Negative growth brings even more problems. But too much growth could bring issues, too. That is how Wyoming State Representative Jacob Wassenburger, R - Cheyenne, sees it.

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

Soybean farmers and the various people connected to their industry are asking themselves, “Could it finally be true?” They want to know if a deal really is close in Congress to finally extend E-15 – the 15% ethanol fuel blend – for year-round sales across the United States. They have been hoping that a campaign pledge would turn into action when Donald Trump returned to the White House. President Trump gave them hope this week when he addressed several hundred supporters in a

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

After complaining about not getting awarded a Nobel Peace Prize, President Donald Trump later announced 10% tariffs against Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland. The countries opposed Trump’s threats to take over Greenland, which would violate the principles of the countries’ long-standing NATO alliance. Trump threatened the tariffs until, “a deal is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland.” However, he la

After a 15-year absence, whole milk is set to return to school lunches. President Donald Trump signed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 into law. The law marks a significant shift in federal school nutrition policy and has been welcomed by dairy producers, rural advocates, and policymakers who see it as a boost to the dairy sector and an expansion of choice for school nutrition programs. Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Acts of 2025 The 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids A

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

There is a new number one on the list of the nation’s leading landowners in the United States. If you don’t recognize the name, Stan Kroenke, you are probably at least familiar with some of the sports teams he owns: the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, and the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. The sports and entertainment mogul now owns 2.7 million acres of private land, consisting mostly of cattle ranches, according to the new Land Report 100 list. Kroenke was numb

Rural America has long faced a familiar set of challenges: declining populations, limited access to capital, and fewer economic opportunities for younger generations. But according to Ron Diamond, Diamond Wealth Founder and Chairman, a powerful and relatively new policy tool may help change that trajectory: rural Opportunity Zones. Diamond told American Farmland Owner that outside investment could be the missing ingredient rural communities need to regain momentum. “I think i