It’s hard to believe we’re almost at the halfway mark on what seems like a new year. Similar to the fast start to the calendar year, planting season also is now almost in the bag.
We enjoyed a warm and dry weather window in mid-April, which allowed planters to roll earlier than normal in the southern two-thirds of Iowa. Cool rains then slowed activity before widespread fieldwork resumed in the first full week of May. Now, planting is virtually complete, and the countryside is quickly greening.
As I reported last month, the land market firmed this spring and appears to be trending in a sideways pattern. There is currently little inventory of land for sale across the state, which has supported land prices.
I attribute the sales volume slowdown to a combination of the typical annual “breather” around planting season, along with some additional general economic uncertainty this year from tariffs and geopolitical tensions. In the past, I’ve observed that when people lack a firm handle on what they believe will happen in the economy, they often tap the brakes on making major decisions.
Some land sellers who are still considering a sale are trying to play out all the possible scenarios and make the best decision. Meanwhile, those sellers who moved forward with a sale in the past 90 days were largely rewarded, as you will see below:
Osceola County. East of Sibley, +/- 318 acres recently sold at public auction for $17,400 per acre. The farm consisted of +/- 309 tillable acres with a Corn Suitability Rating index of 90, and equaled $199 per CSR2 point on the tillable acres. Note: This land was leased for the 2025 crop year, with the buyer receiving $300 per tillable acre cash rental income.
Wright County. Northeast of Belmond, +/- 160 acres recently sold at public auction for $14,000 per acre. The farm consisted of +/- 155 tillable acres with a CSR2 of 76.4, and equaled $189 per CSR2 point on the tillable acres.
Fayette County. Southeast of Hawkeye, +/- 73 acres recently sold at public auction for $9,600 per acre. The farm consisted of +/- 73 tillable acres with a CSR2 of 74.8, and equaled $128 per CSR2 point on the tillable acres.
Crawford County. South of Westside, +/- 193 acres recently sold at public auction for $13,250 per acre. The farm consisted of +/- 190 tillable acres with a CSR2 of 73.1, and equaled $184 per CSR2 point on the tillable acres.
Grundy County. Northeast of Wellsburg, +/- 70 acres recently sold at public auction for $18,500 per acre. The farm consisted of +/- 69 tillable acres with a CSR2 of 93.2, and equaled $201 per CSR2 point on the tillable acres.
Linn County. East of Springville, +/- 51 acres recently sold for $15,500 per acre. The farm consisted of +/- 47 tillable acres with a CSR2 of 87.4, and equaled $192 per CSR2 point on the tillable acres.
Mills County. Southeast of Glenwood, +/- 238 acres recently sold at public auction for $11,550 per acre. The farm consisted of +/- 230 tillable acres with a CSR2 of 75.8, and equaled $158 per CSR2 point on the tillable acres. Note: This land was leased for the 2025 crop year, with the buyer receiving $355 per tillable acre cash rental income.
Ringgold County. Southeast of Mt. Ayr, +/- 235 acres recently sold at public auction for $4,500 per acre. This farm consisted of +/- 183 tillable acres and a CSR2 of 40. The property has been used exclusively as a grazing pasture with four ponds, areas of timbered draws and waterways.
Keokuk County. Northwest of Keota, +/- 80 acres recently sold at public auction for $16,500 per acre. The farm consisted of +/- 79 tillable acres with a CSR2 of 84.1, and equaled $199 per CSR2 point on the tillable acres.