Western Land Values Shift As Outside Forces Reshape the Market

ASFMRA’s Skye Root joins us to discuss shifts in Western farmland markets, financial pressures facing producers, and the outside forces influencing land values and decision-making.

costner 1.jpg

Photo via Kevin Costner & Modern West Instagram

BOISE, IDAHO (RFD NEWS) — Farm financial pressures are beginning to show up in the land market, as a mix of economic challenges and outside forces shape buying and selling activity across the West.

Accredited farm manager Skye Root with the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA) joined us on Wednesday’s Market Day Report to provide insight from his region.

In his interview with RFD News, Root discussed current trends in farmland sales in the West and how today’s market compares to the past few years, highlighting where financial pressures are showing up within farm operations.

Root also explained how factors like data center expansion, renewable energy development, and water constraints are influencing farmland values and reshaping the market.

Finally, he shared some key decisions he thinks farmers should be considering more strategically in the current environment.

Related Stories
Jerry Cosgrove with American Farmland Trust explains why farmers and ranchers should start their estate planning now.
Elizabeth Strom of the American Society of Farm Managers & Rural Appraisers joined RFD-TV to provide the latest perspective on post-harvest business planning and cropland markets in the Midwest.
Our friend Jake Charleston at Specialty Risk Insurance joins us for an industry update.
Mary-Thomas Hart, with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, discusses the latest WOTUS developments and their implications for agriculture.
Wed, 12/17/25 – 7:30 PM ET | 6:30 PM CT | 5:30 PM MT | 4:30 PM PT
Only properly documented, unexhausted fertilizer applied by prior owners may qualify for Section 180 expensing; broader nutrient-based claims carry significant legal and tax risk.

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:

A rescheduled WASDE, China’s soybean squeeze, barge bottlenecks, and premium beef demand all collide this week — with cash decisions, basis, and risk plans on the line.
Pull out the popcorn! We’ve rounded up the 10 best cowboy movies of all time.
U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) shares his outlook on the developing U.S.-China Trade agreement, and the ongoing impact of the federal government shutdown—now stretching past four weeks—on rural communities and producers.
RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney joined us on Friday’s Market Day Report to discuss what the Carney-Xi meeting could mean for Canadian producers.
Market analyst and friend of the show, Shawn Hackett, says Brazil’s shifting use of crops for biofuel production is a significant factor.
The Livestock Conservancy joins us in the RFD-TV Studio to discuss how protecting heritage-breed poultry is essential to resilient food systems and the preservation of agricultural traditions.