Farm land values are down from their highs in the early 2020s

After a few years of upward pricing, farmland values are starting to cool.

One economist says prices started to peak across farm country in the early 2020s.

“Yes, and that corresponds with that double-digit run-up in land values during that time for a lot of states, specifically the ‘I’ states, with very strong commodity prices, some good yields in a lot of places, and uncertainty in the market post-COVID, and some other things that drove the land prices higher. And the people, this would be families that inherited land, estates that needed to sell the land, or even some investors that wanted to capitalize on those higher prices. They decide to sell, and those prices run up. We saw the same thing leading up to 2012-'13,” said Randy Dickhut.

On average, land listings are down 25 percent from early 2020. Researchers at Farmers National say active farmers continue to be the primary land buyers this year.

Related Stories
At CattleCon 2026 in Nashville, RealAg Radio’s Shaun Haney discusses profitability, consumer demand, and how the integrated U.S.–Canada beef supply chain impacts cattle producers across North America.
The USDA’s February WASDE report looms as the CME Ag Economy Barometer shows declining farmer confidence, and more ag industry groups calling for swift policy action.
Danny Munch of the American Farm Bureau joined us to discuss USDA’s latest farm income forecast, revisions to prior estimates, and what the updated data means for farmers heading into 2026.
SharkFarmer host Rob Sharkey takes us on a tour of the John Deere showcase on the trade show floor of CattleCon 2026 in Nashville.
The U.S. trade deal with Argentina creates new export opportunities for U.S. livestock and crop producers but also raises competitive concerns.
Policies aimed at ground beef prices may primarily reshape dairy incentives rather than deliver lasting consumer savings.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Mike Steenhoek with the Soy Transportation Coalition discusses supply chain challenges facing agriculture as snow, sleet and ice threaten most of the Eastern U.S.
Congressman Adrian Smith of Nebraska joined us with the latest on efforts to secure year-round E15 sales.
Nearly everyone in the South Texas ag community appears extremely worried about the potential of a New World screwworm epidemic, according to a local veterinarian. RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey reports.
Large-scale land purchases signal rising competition for ranchland, reinforcing its value while reshaping long-term access and control in rural agriculture.
Brian Earnest, an animal protein economist with CoBank, shares insights into current demand trends and the challenges facing broiler production.
Jack Hubbard, with the Center for the Environment and Welfare, shares context and perspective on the controversial letter about Prop 12 circulating in Washington and how a review shows it misled the public.