The agricultural industry is changing as rapidly as the rest of our world. We focus on keeping up-to-date with industry changes including farm lease terms, USDA Programs, Environmental Protection Agency and Natural Resource Conservation Service rules and regulations, and grain markets.

Our Role

Our responsibility is to be the agent for the Landowner. We act in the owner's best interest, without the conflict of interest of a tenant farmer.

Our Services: Listen and Assess

We provide close personal attention to our clients in order to better understand their goals and meet their needs. We thoroughly investigate your farm's resources and assess your farm's potential.

Leasing

Agriculture is changing rapidly. Farm lease terms need to keep pace with the rest of the industry. They must reflect the contributions of the Landowner and Tenant. We explain the risk and return of various lease types (crop share, crop share with bonus, cash rent, variable cash rent, custom farm, and specialty combination). We custom design your lease to reflect current economics and meet your needs and desires.

Flat Cash Rent – We closely monitor the cash rent market, cost of farming, and your farm's production potential. We then design a lease that meets your needs whether that is to maximize income, or a rent that is conservative. Each year there is a wide range of cash rent levels. It is important to review the cash rental market each and every year.

Variable Cash Rent – We develop cash rents where the owner receives a base rent, then a bonus if gross income surpasses a profitable level. Under this lease, the owner shares in the risk and reward of each growing season.

Our farm leases insure cash rent is paid on time while fertility and pH levels are optimized.

Crop Share Lease – We custom design our crop share leases to reflect the farm's productivity and the owner's goals and objectives. These leases are evaluated each year and can be modified with additional cash rent, production bonus to owner, or adjustment on expenses.

Custom Farm – This arrangement has the owner contracting with a farmer to complete each operation. The Landowner collects all income and pays all expenses.

Soil Fertility and pH

We have your soils tested for fertility and pH levels every four years. Your farm yields are recorded to track nutrient removals. We meet with your tenant, review soil tests and crop plans, and develop a fertility and limestone plan to insure your farm's fertility and pH are at optimum levels.

Fertilizer application requirements are written into our leases.

Soil Conservation

Preserving and improving your soil is vital to long-term productivity and value. We assess and when needed, recommend soil conservation improvements, i.e. waterway construction, terraces, berms, filter strips, etc.

Productivity Improvements

Increasing your farm's productivity has never made more sense than it does at this time. We are completing drainage improvements on our managed farms at a record pace. We believe the time is now to investigate surface drainage, tile drainage, and soil conservation.

Several factors have come together to create a real value to improving your farm's productivity.

  • High Commodity prices
  • High value of farmland
  • Extreme weather cycles
  • Low interest rates
  • Large farm machinery
  • Aging drainage tile systems

We evaluate the benefits so the Landowner can make an informed decision on whether to invest in improvements.

Accounting

We collect all rents, crop income, government payments, etc. and deposit those into your farm account.

We pay all expenses, real estate taxes, insurance, repairs, and crop inputs from your farm account.

Each calendar year your farm account statement details all transactions. Your statement is a complete accounting of your farm's activity and can be given to your tax preparer.

Reporting

We keep clients well informed of farm activities via phone calls, e-mails, texts, and written reports. We can use the form of communication you desire. We mail farm account statements quarterly. We complete the following formal written reports.

  • Budget
  • Planting report
  • Harvest report
  • Annual report

Updates are provided when farm activity warrants.

Government Programs

Programs are complex and ever-changing: We keep abreast of these programs to maximize your benefits.

Our Services - How They Benefit You

Negotiate leases – crop share – cash rent - custom farm – specialty/combination - Terms are changing rapidly, we explain the risk & return on each lease type, then select based on your goals.

Supervise production - We closely monitor all practices during the growing season.

Select seed, herbicide, fertilizer, and lime - Our contacts in the grain industry allow us to keep abreast of supply and demand fundamentals.

Report to owners - You’ll receive several reports including planting, harvesting, budget, and annual summary.

Several farm inspections - We stay in touch throughout the year to ensure your goals are being met.

Environmental inspections - Rules and regulations are increasing and we stay on top of them for you.

Maintain soil fertility and pH - These affect both the productivity and value of a farm.

Supervise capital improvements - Investments are analyzed.

Supervise soil conservation practices - We stay abreast of government regulation and funding changes for you.

Maximize USDA benefits - Programs are complex and changing. We maximize your benefits.

Accounting - Easy to read statements.

Analyze real estate tax assessments - Knowing farm value is imperative.

Analyze insurance coverages - Knowing the improvements' contributions to the farm is important.