Recent land sale transactions highlights a highly variable Midwest land market. Premium tracts commanding up to $18,100 per acre while marginal acreage traded as low as $2,500 per acre. For industry ag professionals, these spreads reinforce that valuation is strictly localized and dictated entirely by CSR2/PI scores, water access, and regional buyer competition. Find sales details for our featured Midwest reporting states of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin in American Farmland Owner’s June report: American Farmland Owner June 2026 Notable Sales
Nebraska’s land market continues to show strength this summer, even with limited inventory. According to Farm Progress, high‑quality farms remain in demand, with more buyers than sellers across the state.
Representative sales from five counties highlight the range of values and land types moving this season.
Garden County (Panhandle): 159.59 acres sold for $1,785/acre, featuring superior soils and strong ag plus recreational potential
Merrick County (East): 78.08 acres sold for $9,925/acre, a well‑managed Platte Valley irrigated farm with excellent water access
Lancaster County (Southeast Lincoln area): 124.06 acres sold for $18,499/acre, driven by transitional development potential and strong location advantages
Hall County (Central): 76.54 acres sold for $11,039/acre, positioned near strong grain markets and an ethanol plant
Johnson County (Southeast): 160 acres sold for $10,500/acre, with 96% tillable acres and completed conservation work
Nebraska remains a core state in Land Sales Bulletin’s Midwest reporting region, and these sales reflect a market where quality land continues to attract strong buyer interest. Farm Progress: Farmland sales hold steady across Nebraska
Minnesota’s farmland market continues to show resilience heading into the second half of 2026, supported by recent sales across several counties statewide. While values have softened slightly, the market remains stable, with widening gaps between excellent and moderate-quality tracts as buyer demand shifts.
3 Key Things to Watch in the Second Half of 2026
2026 Crop Outlook — In‑season yield expectations will heavily influence farmer optimism and market aggressiveness
Geopolitics — War, trade, interest rates, and tariffs continue to shape commodity prices and input costs, with potential rate hikes and shifting global commitments on the horizon
Government Support — Additional assistance programs may help producers manage rising fuel and fertilizer costs and provide underlying support for land values
Farmland values across Land Sales Bulletin’s Midwest reporting region continue to show steady, resilient performance heading into Summer 2026, according to Hertz Farm Management’s latest update.
Iowa remains stable, with farmland values increasing 1.3% from September 2025 to March 2026 . Over the past 12 months, Iowa posted a net 0.3% gain after a brief dip earlier in 2025.
Illinois shows a choppy‑sideways trend. “Excellent” quality land declined 3%, while “Good” and “Average” land remained flat and “Fair” land increased 2% . Despite near‑term caution—61% of respondents expect prices to decline in 2026 —values remain 49–54% above 2020 levels.
Nebraska cropland values softened, declining 1–3% statewide, while grazing land rose up to 7% on strong cattle prices . Overall agricultural land values fell 1% year‑over‑year, marking a second consecutive annual decline.
Minnesota remains resilient, with modest increases in non‑irrigated cropland prices and ranchland rents, while irrigated rents declined . Lenders remain cautious, with 64% expecting farm incomes to decrease in the year ahead.
Across the Corn Belt, limited land supply, steady buyer interest, and stable long‑term fundamentals continue to support values despite tighter margins and broader economic volatility. Read more from Hertz Farm Management:https://www.hertz.ag/blog/detail/farmland-values-update-summer-2026
Iowa’s farmland market enters July with more than 2,700 acres scheduled for auction across 16 counties. Listings range from small 3‑acre tracts to multiparcel offerings nearing 780 acres, underscoring steady demand in one of Land Sales Bulletin’s core Midwest reporting states.
Poweshiek County leads early activity with 392 acres selling July 10 across three tracts, all rented for the 2026 crop year.
In northwest Iowa, Pocahontas County brings 775 acres across nine tracts with CSR2 values ranging 80–85.2 in an online‑only auction ending July 15.
Fremont County follows with a 143.99‑acre offering featuring a weighted CSR2 of 83.4 and $17,700 in 2026 cash‑rent income to the buyer.
Statewide, at least 13 additional auctions are expected, with most located south of US‑20. Iowa’s farmland values have increased 1.3% over the past six months, signaling cautious optimism among producers and investors. Read more from Successful Farming:More Than 2700 Acres of Iowa Farmland Head to Auction in July 2026
Compeer Financial‘s June Land Sales Highlights Report features sales from our Midwest reporting states of Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Find details to each featured sale in the links below:
This week’s Landwatch Weekly delivers a full sweep across four of Land Sales Bulletin’s Midwest reporting states, highlighting strong auction activity and continued buyer interest across row‑crop regions.
Illinois — Ogle County • 286 acres sold for $4.4M (avg. $14,162/acre) • Tracts included PIs of 135.6, 135, and 127.1 • Mix of high‑quality cropland, small wooded areas, and older grain bins
Iowa — Lee County • 356 acres sold for $2.6M (avg. $8,750/acre) • Row‑crop acres with a soil rating of 48.2 plus tile and terracing • Features included a creek, pond, and strong whitetail habitat • Additional tracts with 129 tillable acres and improved tile/terrace systems
Minnesota — Rock County • 162 acres sold for $2.8M (avg. $17,000/acre) • Corn/soybean bases with PLC yields of 160 bu corn and 47 bu soybeans • Extensive drainage tile across both tracts
Nebraska — Keith County • 323 acres sold for $1.3M (avg. $4,050/acre) • Tract 1: 133 certified irrigated acres; Tract 2: 136 certified irrigated acres • Both equipped with 2004 Zimmatic 7‑tower pivots with end guns • Combined base acres: 233 corn, 30 soybean, 8 wheat with respective yields of 165, 60, and 48 bu/acre
Across the region, sales continue to reflect strong demand for high‑quality cropland, with tile, irrigation, and productivity ratings playing a central role in pricing. Read morefrom Progressive Farmer: Recent Farmland Sales in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska
June’s National Dairy Month arrives at a moment when several of our Midwest states are seeing major momentum in dairy processing investment. As processors look beyond traditional strongholds, states with growing milk supplies — including Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Michigan — are emerging as strategic hubs for future capacity.
The article highlights Iowa’s return to the nation’s top 10 dairy states, driven by herd growth along the I‑29 corridor spanning western Iowa, southwestern Minnesota, and eastern South Dakota. Wisconsin continues to draw significant investment, with more than $1.1 billion tied to its long‑standing leadership in cheese and whey production. Michigan also stands out, attracting $1.3 billion in new processing capacity as it leads the nation in milk per cow productivity.
Hertz Real Estate Services’ June 2026 Farmland Market Update highlights a land market that remains steady across the Corn Belt, even as producers navigate tighter margins and shifting interest‑rate expectations. Hear from their President, Doug Hensley, shares the latest on farmland values, current market conditions, and key factors influencing the land market – Hertz Farmland Market Update Videos
Across the Midwest, Land Sales Bulletin’s finalized land sale data reflects the same trend: resilient pricing for top‑tier cropland across our Corn Belt states. While softer commodity prices and elevated input costs are creating pressure, neither has meaningfully disrupted the market’s underlying strength.
As both a trusted customer and a leading voice in the farmland industry, proud to share Hertz’s latest update. Make sure to sign up to have their Farmland Market Updates land in your inbox: https://www.hertz.ag/subscribe
Farmland auctions across our Midwest states continue to show strong buyer engagement, with recent sales recorded in Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, and Ohio.
Knox County, Illinois, an 88‑acre farm sold for $8,200/acre, supported by a 121.8 PI, 74 tillable acres, and a wind energy easement.
Decatur County, Kansas saw a 470‑acre farm sell in two tracts for an average of $2,325/acre. The larger tract included 200 acres of grassland and 116 acres of cropland with 88 wheat‑base acres at a 56 bu/acre yield, while the second tract featured 84 cropland acres and 71 acres of grassland. Buyers also received 100% of the 2026 wheat crop.
Fillmore County, Nebraska, a 151‑acre irrigated farm brought $12,583/acre, supported by strong corn and soybean base acres and a 7‑tower irrigation system.
Butler County, Ohio, a 144‑acre property sold in four tracts for $15,521/acre, featuring wooded acres, tillable ground, and average yields of 129.6 bu/acre corn and 46.4 bu/acre soybeans.
Across the region, soil quality, crop base strength, and property features continue to drive competitive bidding and support resilient land values. Read more from DTN Progressive Farmer: Recent Farmland Sales in Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska and Ohio
