Major changes are in store for California farmers as a result of the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). The 2014 act requires that groundwater sustainability plans (GSPs) be created by January of 2020 for 43 high priority basins and 84 medium priority basins in California, and that Groundwater Sustainability Agencies be established for those [...]

The market for midwestern agricultural land this year has been extremely slow, probably the slowest I’ve seen in 30 years. Based on a relatively small number of transactions, I am seeing higher-quality land maintain its value, while lesser-quality ground has been seeing greater declines. Part of the reason for the slow market has been the [...]

We remember with great fondness and admiration our longtime friend and Wise Ag Update editor, Rick Baker. Rick had an amazing way with words and we will miss his presence in the pages of our newsletter. More than anything though, we will miss his friendship. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Carol and [...]

As this is written, it is almost certain that the Fed will increase short term rates in 2017. In addition, rates have already been trending up slightly for the past few months.  Inflationary pressure is peeking around the corner in the form of higher wages (including the many minimum wage laws effective January 1, 2017) [...]

The situation sounds like the plot of some horror movie in which a small, nearly microscopic, parasite destroys civilization as we know it. Unfortunately, that is nearly the real world situation that has been facing Florida orange growers for the better part of a decade. The small creature that is indirectly creating the problem is [...]

The election ended with a surprising winner and in my judgement, is likely to lead to an administration long on more surprises. We really don’t know what the new administration’s policies affecting agriculture will be. We’ve been witness to a range of possibilities accompanied by predictions of great success or abysmal failure depending on the [...]

“If it’s any good, it’s gone pretty fast” – John Kirkpatrick recently spoke with Iowa Farmer Today about Iowa farmland; see what else he had to say about farmland values and rents in the article. “Productivity, proximity remain key in dynamic land market” Bill Tiedje, Iowa Farmer Today

By Joe Bubon Now that the harvest is under way, there’s no avoiding the question of how lower corn and soybean prices will affect the viability of some farm operations. Most will probably be fine, but others are expected to start running short on cash, and a loss on this year’s crop won’t help. Meanwhile, [...]

Auction manager Kenny Schum talks about upcoming opportunity to buy farmland and recreational ground in Gentry & Worth Counties, Missouri.