Farm managers, rural appraisers, real estate brokers and others interested in the Iowa land market can receive timely updates at this year’s Soil Management and Land Valuation Conference on May 15 in Ames.

Experts from across Iowa and the nation will examine current issues in rural property management, appraisal, the selling and buying of land, and agricultural policy.

The annual conference — now in its 96th year — is the longest running at Iowa State University in research and extension.

This year’s conference will be held in person from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Scheman Building.

Rabail Chandio, conference chairperson, will review the attendees’ land value forecasts to start the day, followed by a discussion on the U.S. and global ag economy in relation to the land markets by Jason Henderson, vice president of ISU Extension and Outreach.

Alejandro Plastina, ISU associate professor and Extension economist, will join Hingli Feng, an assistant professor of economics at ISU, and Ruth McCabe, an agronomist with Heartland Cooperative, for a panel discussion on conservation and easement programs and their influence on land values and soil quality.

Neil Hamilton, former director of the Drake Agricultural Law Center, will follow the panel with a presentation called “Soil Health and Water Quality Concerns: Implications for Land Values and Marketability.”

After lunch, Eric Snodgrass, principal atmospheric scientist with Nutrien Ag Solutions, will present his weather outlook for the 2024 growing season; and Erin Hodgson, ISU professor and Extension entomologist, will discuss the implication of recent warm winters and climate change for soil health, yields and land valuation.

The final two sessions will include a look at the legal developments that affect land purchases and sales with Kristine Tidgren, director of the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation at ISU, and a look at how the crop and livestock market futures can influence farmland land markets by Brian Grete, commodity analysis expert and editor of Pro Farmer.

Chandio, who also is an assistant professor and economist with ISU Extension and Outreach, says the conference continues to be an excellent educational venue for Iowans and beyond.

"The economic situation in agriculture and globally is not exactly clear right now,” Chandio says. “On top of that, the warm Iowa winters leave many to wonder about what to expect this year. With our agenda and the experts we have lined up, this is a great opportunity for attendees to gain a clearer understanding about several concerns quite unique to this year as we head into another crop season.”

Registration for the Soil Management and Land Valuation Conference is $150.

For information, visit the conference website at regcytes.extension.iastate.edu/smlv or contact Chandio at 515-294-6181 or [email protected].

Source: Iowa State University