‘Not So Perfect Storm': Sen. Grassley Voices Concern for Slipping Land Values in Iowa

Iowa land values dropped 3% year-over-year. Sen. Chuck Grassley said this discomforting pattern is a harbinger of crisis for farmers, as seen in the 1980s.

WASHINGTON (RFD-TV) — Longtime Senate Ag Committee Member, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), warned other lawmakers that a bit of a crisis is brewing in Iowa, his home state, over land values.

Sen. Grassley said in a floor speech this week that land values are down 3 percent year-over-year in his home state, which he views as an uncomfortable pattern that he has seen play out before.

“In the 1980s, that didn’t happen overnight,” Sen. Grassley said. “It kind of crept up on us very slowly. We don’t want to let that happen again. So, we need to be vigilant today.”

Grassley went on to say that for too long, Congress has waited to act. He is calling on his colleagues to take action and help save family farms.

Related Stories
Biofuel policy decisions may influence planting economics. Today, March 18, is also National Biodiesel Day.
Bryan Combs with USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service breaks down new farmland data from the TOTAL survey, highlights key findings, and potential impacts for the ag sector. ASFMRA’s David Klein also shares how those trends are reflected in the current farmland market, especially in the Midwest.
APHIS Veterinary Medical Officer Dr. Chelsey Shiveley discusses USDA’s biosecurity resources available to poultry producers ahead of spring migration, increasing the risk of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) threatens commercial flocks.
Nebraska’s largest wildfire on-record has burned 650,000 acres, with three other major fires also burning across the state, destroying pastureland and threatening cattle.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Farm Bureau Economist Faith Parum discusses the latest Farm Bill proposal and the path ahead for Congress and U.S. agriculture.
The Ranger Road Fire spreads from the Oklahoma Panhandle into Kansas as high winds and red flag conditions persist
Small Business Administration Deputy Administrator Bill Briggs joined us with an update on how the SBA is working to support rural communities and small businesses across the country.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order this week to accelerate domestic production of phosphorus and glyphosate, signaling that farm input availability is now treated as a national security risk.
Fred Nichols, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for Huma, joined us with a sneak peek at Commodity Classic next week in San Antonio, Texas.
University of Nebraska President Dr. Jeffrey Gold discusses the ongoing measles outbreak in the United States and the importance of vaccination awareness on this week’s Rural Health Matters.