California farmland values have taken a hit.
It is a price trend our friends at the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers have been warning of for quite a while.
A new groundwater law combined with poor commodity prices has led to double digit year-over-year farmland declines. While the San Joaquin Valley tends tohave greater water access than other parts of the state, farmland values there have still fallen.
Almond orchards that once sold for $60,000 an acre are now facing prices below just $44,000 an acre.
Meanwhile in Hawaii, the state is looking to purchase over 1,000 of farmland in Kaua’i that is currently owned by a billionare tech entrepreneur.
The $39 million deal is still waiting legislative approval. The state hopes to use the land to achieve local food production goals by allowing Hawaii’s Agribusiness Development Corps to satisfy the demand of farmers looking for access to more land.
Land values remain key to borrowing strength.
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Diversification is critical as conservation reshapes rural economies.
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Strong land values continue masking tighter farm finances.
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Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins discusses the potential impact of data center growth on farmland, the Landowner Fairness Act, and key priorities for Missouri farmers heading into planting season.
March 12, 2026 03:04 PM
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Ben Kurtzman with American Farmland Trust discusses the growing pressure on farmland and ranchland and the steps being taken to help conserve farms and ranches across the country ,as unrest in the Middle East adds more obstacles for producers.
March 11, 2026 03:18 PM
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NRECA CEO Jim Matheson warns that rising electricity demand from AI and data centers could strain the grid and affect rural electric cooperatives if U.S. power infrastructure cannot keep up.
March 11, 2026 11:59 AM
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