The Iowa Supreme Court recently released an opinion addressing Iowa’s recreational use statute, which provides limits on the liability landowners are exposed to who invite people to use their land for recreation purposes. Read the rest of this entry »
The 2012 drought is the worst drought in more than half a century. However, the short- and long-term economic effects on farmers and landowners remains unclear. While record setting prices for corn and soybeans and crop insurance may offset lower yields for many farmers, the drought will still hit others hard, particularly livestock producers. Read the rest of this entry »
The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) released a new fact sheet on conservation compliance rules. These rules require producers to abide by certain conditions on land that is highly erodible or a considered a wetland in order to participate in USDA programs. Read the rest of this entry »
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIs) is dedicating the month of April to increasing public awareness of invasive plant pests, diseases, and harmful weeds and the damage they create for American agriculture. USDA has a website with information about the invasive species problem and methods for preventing their further spread. Read the rest of this entry »
The USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) has released a new study on “The Future of Environmental Compliance Incentives in U.S. Agriculture.” Conservation compliance provisions require conservation practices or limit land uses in order for landowners and operators to receive certain USDA program payments. These provisions have been credited with drastically reducing soil erosion on highly erodible land, as well as preventing the loss of wetlands and grasslands. Read the rest of this entry »
State Executive Director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Missouri, Edward Hamill, released a reminder today that in order to receive USDA program payments, landowners and operators are required to comply with Highly Erodible Land (HEL) and Wetland Conservation (WC) provisions. Read the rest of this entry »
Secretary Tom Vilscack today announced a new Conservation Reserve Program Initiative that will allow producers to enroll one million acres of land that benefit duck nesting habitat, upland birds, wetlands, pollinators and wildlife. Read the rest of this entry »
The Environmental Working Group issued a press release a new report, “Conservation Compliance: A Retrospective… and a Look Ahead.” The report focuses on a number of surveys that show strong farmer support of tying the direct payments Read the rest of this entry »
The Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire published a new report, “Rural Demographic Change in the New Century: Slower Growth, Increased Diversity.” The report focuses on the continued decline in population and services provided in rural, or non-metropolitan areas. Read the rest of this entry »
Iowa’s courts and legislature have established a strong legal foundation for a duty of stewardship. The brochure below, recently made available as part of the Sustainable Agricultural Land Tenure Initiative, provides a brief history of how this foundation was laid as well as additional details on Iowa’s soil conservation law, conservation incentive programs, and federal conservation compliance laws. Read the rest of this entry »
Failing to comply with the terms of a will or to completely settle a will can have significant and long-lasting effects. In August 2011, the Iowa Supreme Court issued an opinion in the case In re Estate of Roethler, which allowed the reopening of an estate settled in 1999. Read the rest of this entry »
The Natural Resource Conservation Service is the primary federal agency for promoting and implementing conservation programs. Contact information for NRCS offices can be found at the Local Service Centers Directory. Read the rest of this entry »
USDA NRCS recently released its Natural Resources Credit Trading Reference. This reference tool explains the challenges and opportunities available for landowners and farmers to engage in environmental service markets. These markets allow landowners and farmers to receive monetary compensation for Read the rest of this entry »
Source: 2011 Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll Summary Report
Today Iowa State University researchers released the 2011 Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll Summary Report. The poll received responses from 1,276 Iowa farmers and examines the following issues: Read the rest of this entry »
Recording the details behind below average rental rates can aid present and future landlord-tenant relations.
Preliminary reports are not surprisingly calling for additional rental rate increases for 2012. According to the Iowa State University Farmland Cash Rental Amount Survey, the average cash rent paid in Iowa in 2011 was $214, a $30 per acre increase over the previous year. Further, substantial disparity Read the rest of this entry »
Recent reports show potentially significant economic gains for diverse farm operations. The new studies, discussed and linked to below, reveal the potential profitability for both organic production and local marketing. Read the rest of this entry »
The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University released information on new landowner resources for establishing prairie conservation strips alongside crop fields. The resources are based on information gathered from the STRIPs (Science-based Trials of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairies) project at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge.
STRIPs research shows that small patches of native prairie can have a significant impact on the long-term health of farmland. The fact sheet contains guidelines for establishing and maintaining prairie strips as well as suggestions for locating technical and financial assistance. This guide can be accessed here and hard copies are available from the Leopold Center for free. Read the rest of this entry »
A new U.S. Geologic Survey report, Environmental Factors That Influence the Location of Crop Agriculture in the Conterminous United States, provides insight on principle environmental areas of concern in locations where our food and fiber are produced. Read the rest of this entry »
US Farm Lease has announced that Governor Terry Branstad will be opening the “This Land is Your Land” Conference. The Governor will be addressing issues concerning land use and the importance of proper maintenance of our valuable natural resources. For more details on the July 28, 2011 Landowner Conference visit www.farmlandconference.com.
U.S. Farm Lease and Drake Agricultural Law Center are convening a landowner conference Thursday, July 28, 2011. The conference will assist landowners in making informed decisions on how to maintain the land’s productivity while continuing a profitable and enduring landlord-tenant relationship. The conference also provides an opportunity to network and share information with other landowners and will kick off with an address by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad. Details on the event are provided below or at www.farmlandconference.com. Read the rest of this entry »
Increasing farm rental rates, caused by rising commodity prices and land values, can create a strong temptation for landowners to place expiring Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) land back in production and lease it to the highest bidder. Read the rest of this entry »
In the wake of recent research at Iowa State University showing soil loss far in excess of previous USDA estimates, Professor Neil Hamilton, Director of the Drake University Agricultural Law Center, addressed the legal foundation for soil conservation on Iowa’s farmland. The complete essay can be found in the Des Moines Register. Read the rest of this entry »
In accordance with the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act (RCA) the USDA has released a pre-publication of its assessment of the country’s natural resources. The assessment had this to say about farmland ownership: Read the rest of this entry »
As the public gives increased attention to where food is coming from and the effects of agriculture on the environment, Read the rest of this entry »
As personnel at the Kansas City Federal Reserve report on economic simulations regarding farmland values and interest rates, the issue of a land value bubble and comparisons to the boon times of the 1970′s and the corresponding crash of the 1980′s are abundant in the press. Read the rest of this entry »
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) today revealed the findings of a new study by Iowa State University Scientists. The report focuses on the massive soil erosion rates experienced after heavy rains, Read the rest of this entry »
The Conservation Reserve Program was in the news last week as high grain prices are causing some landowners to place expiring CRP land into production. This week, Philip Brasher writes in the Des Moines Register that 26 Representatives are calling for an early, penalty-free release of CRP land. In a related article, Fred Kirschenmann, Read the rest of this entry »
A new video has been posted in the Sustainable Farm Leasing “Video Library.” The twenty-eight minute video addresses Iowa’s regulatory and incentive programs Read the rest of this entry »
In many families there are one or two siblings that farm land owned by elderly parents. Much of the time this land is farmed under a lease arrangement. While leases have traditionally been a common method for transitioning farmland to the next generation, Read the rest of this entry »
Impact of Iowa Sallee Case on Recreational Use Statute and landowner liability. Read more.
