Illinois Turns Attention to the Farmland Market as Harvest Wraps Up

David Klein with the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA) shares an end-of-harvest update and a peek at the farmland market in Central Illinois.

BLOOMINGTON, ILL. (RFD-TV) — The agricultural market has now gone a whole month without harvest data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and with combines nearing the finish line in many areas, farmers are shifting their focus to post-harvest conditions.

David Klein with the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA) joined us on Wednesday’s Market Day Report with an end-of-harvest update.

In his interview with RFD-TV News, Klein said farmers in central Illinois are averaging corn and soybean prices close to those of last year. He also discussed trends in sales methods as producers and landowners assess current conditions.

Klein said that while there have been some business-planning delays in the state farmland market, approximately 22,000 acres were set for auction in November, but they are adding new listings every day. While trends seem to favor auctions, he is also seeing many traditional listings and sealed-bid auctions when sellers have a price point they want to hit. He said, overall, the market is down about 2.5%, but much lower in some areas of the state, suggesting there’s plenty of opportunity for investors interested in picking up high-quality land.

Related Stories
“That’s just one of the big drawbacks to living where we do is we just don’t have a lot of options and cotton is just about our only way of life.”
RFD-TV Ag Law & Tax Expert Roger McEowen outlines the top ten agricultural law and taxation topics from 2024 that will impact farmers and ranchers the most in 2025.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

New U.S. fees on Chinese-owned and built ships took effect overnight, marking the latest escalation in maritime trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.
President Trump is expected to press Argentina to take a tougher stance on China in exchange for political and economic support.
Tammi Arender takes us to 3 Board Farm to meet some first-generation farmers who took a leap of faith and, in the process, found a new purpose.
Nick Andersen, Nationwide’s VP of Agribusiness Claims, shares tips for managing weather-related risks in agriculture using their new Hail and Wind Alert Program.
Lewie Pugh, EVP of OOIDA, discusses how lowering the age for commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) to 18 could rejuvenate the trucking labor market.
Founder Venessa Wood joins us now for a sneak peek of Ag Women Connect’s upcoming Red, White & Blue Gala.