Illinois Farmland Auctions Top $4.1M as Midwest Land Values Hold Firm

Jim Rothermich with the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers joined us to share the latest on farmland real estate markets across the Midwest.

Jennifer_Campbell_08_31_16_USA_IL_CAMPBELL_FARM_045.jpg

Campbell Farm in Franklin, Ill. (FarmHER Season 1, Ep. 25)

FarmHER, Inc.

DES MOINES, IOWA (RFD NEWS) — Several recent farmland auctions in Illinois posted some notable results. Four tracts were up for sale, and combined, they brought in roughly $4.1 million. Here’s a breakdown:

  • In Bureau County, 120 taxable acres sold for $9,400 per acre, totaling about $1.1 million.
  • In Marshall County, nearly 40 acres sold for approximately $550,000 — or about $14,000 per acre.
  • In McLean County, 118 acres brought $12,000 per acre.
  • In Stark County, 104 acres changed hands for more than $10,000 per acre.

Taken together, the sales offer another snapshot of how farmland real estate values are holding up in parts of the Midwest.

There have been several notable ag land sales across farm country in recent months, as producers weigh opportunities to buy or sell amid shifting market conditions. With multiple factors poised to influence the land market in the months ahead, interest remains high.

Jim Rothermich with the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA), who tracks land auctions across Iowa, joined us on Wednesday’s Market Day Report with an update on farmland auctions in the Midwest.

In his interview with RFD NEWS, Rothermich discussed how market conditions played out in 2025 based on auction data. He also addressed the total number of acres auctioned in 2025, how activity is shaping up so far in 2026, and what opportunities may exist for land buyers heading into the year, as producers assess their next move in a changing market.

Marion is a digital content manager for RFD News and FarmHER + RanchHER. She started working for Rural Media Group in May 2022, bringing a decade of digital experience in broadcast media and some cooking experience to the team.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Watch Megan Shanley Warren, of Shanley Farms in Morro Bay, California, carry on her late father’s legacy, cultivating avocados and the tastiest fruit you haven’t yet discovered: finger limes.
In addition to their amazing show, RFD-TV’s “Where the Food Comes From” team also publishes a digital cookbook with recipes by people featured on the show.
John Deere representative Kaylene Ballesteros took RanchHer host, Janie Johnson, on a tour of the company’s exciting, new offerings at NCBA CattleCon in Orlando.
RanchHer celebrated the invaluable contributions women leading the beef industry at their panel, “Your Path to Becoming a RanchHer,” Friday at NCBA CattleCon.
In this behind-the-scenes look at the newest episode of Where the Food Comes From, “Simple as Corn, Part 1,” written by show producer and script supervisor Donna Sanders, follow the crew during their time filming in Sun Prairie and Coloma, Wisconsin.
As we start the new year, let’s take a look at some of the legislative items from 2023 affecting agriculture that will continue to play out in the political area for months to come.