Minnesota Farmland Market Shows Wide Variability

accountMktgLSB | calendar-monthMarch 10, 2026

Our Midwest state of Minnesota’s farmland market remains a study in contrasts. Some sales are exceeding expectations, while others show signs of softening — and shifting buyer dynamics are playing a major role. Farmers accounted for 70% of Hertz Farm Management’s purchases in 2024, dropping to 58% in 2025 as investor activity increased.

Recent Federal Reserve data shows nonirrigated land values up 0.7% and pastureland up 12% in the 9th District, reflecting strong cattle markets. Strong A‑quality sales continue across Minnesota, with recent prices ranging from $9,779 to $12,916 per acre depending on county and CPI. Read more from Farm Progress: Strength of farmland market continues to vary across Minnesota

As always, Land Sales Bulletin’s timely, finalized land sale data across Minnesota and the broader Midwest provides essential transparency for understanding these trends and benchmarking local market performance: Midwest Land Sales Data

Minnesota land sales - Farm Progress

March 2026 Midwest Farmland Market Snapshot: Recent Auction Sales

accountMktgLSB | calendar-monthMarch 3, 2026

Farmland auctions across our Midwest reporting states and beyond continue to show strong momentum heading into spring 2026. Progressive Farmer’s recent Landwatch sales report, highlights steady demand for high‑quality cropland, recreational tracts, and irrigated acres, with buyers still prioritizing soil productivity, location advantages, and long‑term income potential.

Recent Auction Results Across the Our Midwest Reporting States:

  • Indiana – Adams County
    A 95‑acre farm east of Decatur sold for $14,737/acre, featuring four mostly tillable parcels with Blount and Pewamo soils and an additional wooded tract.
  • Iowa – Monroe County
    A 135‑acre recreational farm brought $5,400/acre, supported by hardwood timber, CRP grasses generating $11,723 annually, and strong wildlife habitat.
  • Nebraska – Butler County
    A 159‑acre irrigated cropland farm reached $13,783/acre, supported by Hastings silt loam soils, a full‑circle pivot, and proximity to ethanol and crush plants.
  • Ohio – Champaign & Logan Counties
    A 314‑acre farm sold in two tracts for $17,557/acre, backed by strong corn and soybean PLC yields and a balanced crop base.
  • South Dakota – Moody County
    A 161‑acre row‑crop farm brought $12,876/acre, featuring solid PLC yields and added value from 2025 dairy manure application at no cost to the buyer.

Progressive Farmer shares sales details and more: March 2026 Recent Farmland Sales

Landwatch March 2026 Recent Farmland Sales

Are Farmland Values Leveling off Nationwide

accountMktgLSB | calendar-monthFebruary 11, 2026

Farmland values across the Midwest are holding historically strong, even as the market shifts into a more balanced, disciplined phase. According to Farm Progress, our Midwest reporting states from Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, the Dakotas are seeing values stabilize near record highs, with buyers becoming more selective and quality-driven.
“Midwest farmland values remain historically strong heading into 2026” has been an encouraging and consistent headline. Our data reinforces this message: the market isn’t falling—it’s normalizing, with long‑term confidence and limited supply keeping values elevated. Read more from Farm Progress – Farmland values hold steady, reflect shift toward balanced market

Midwest Farmland Values 2026 Overall Trend: Stable, Historically Strong Values

accountMktgLSB | calendar-monthFebruary 10, 2026

Our Midwest reporting states farmland values remain resilient and historically high entering 2026, even with softer grain prices and tighter margins. The January 2026 Benchmark Farmland Report shows that land across eight Midwest and Plains states continues to perform well thanks to:

  • Tight land supply
  • Financially strong, well‑capitalized buyers
  • Steady producer demand

The message to landowners: high‑quality farmland remains one of the most durable long‑term assets in agriculture. Learn more about the tracked 93 benchmark farms and more from Whitaker Marketing GroupMidwest Farmland Values 2026 Iowa and Regional Land Prices

Midwest Farmland Values 2026 Iowa and Regional Land Prices - Whitaker Marketing Group

Our upper Midwest reporting states farmland sales closed 2025 with strong momentum

accountMktgLSB | calendar-monthFebruary 5, 2026

Farmland sales across our Upper Midwest reporting states closed 2025 with strong momentum, highlighted by a $18,000-per-acre sale in Moody County, South Dakota. Additional November sales in our reporting states of Minnesota and Nebraska underscored the broader strength of the row‑crop market.
Together, these sales show a market that remains resilient, selective, and driven by soil quality, location, and operational fit as buyers position for the 2026 crop year. Our trusted transactional land sales data can help demonstrate these patterns emerging throughout the Midwest. Read more from Successful FarmingSouth Dakota Farmland Sells for More Than $18,000 per Acre

South Dakota Farmland Sells for More Than $18,000 per Acre
South Dakota Farmland Sells for More Than $18,000 per Acre

Midwest Farmland Surveys Report Minor Price Changes – Hertz Farm Management

accountMktgLSB | calendar-monthJanuary 28, 2026

Recent Hertz blog post titled “Midwest Farmland Surveys Report Minor Price Changes” reports that our Midwest reporting states’ farmland values are currently experiencing a “sideways trend” as of early 2026. Find key findings covering the 7th, 9th, and 10th Federal Reporting Districts. Key highlights for our reporting states include:

  • Chicago Federal Reserve District: Reported a 3% average gain in land values compared to 2024, with values remaining unchanged between the second and third quarters of 2025.
  • Illinois and Iowa: Northern Illinois saw a 4% year-over-year gain for “good” farmland, while Iowa’s average for similar land fell by 1%.
  • Iowa State University Survey: Affirmed the trend with a reported slight 0.7% average increase in farmland values across the state.
  • Nebraska: Values declined by 2% in 2025, though this follows three consecutive years of increases and a record-setting price peak in 2024.
https://www.hertz.ag/blog/detail/midwest-farmland-surveys-report-minor-price-changes

Iowa Farm Sells for $1.54 Million With One Condition

accountMktgLSB | calendar-monthJanuary 27, 2026

Our Midwest reporting state of Iowa continues to make the headlines, this time with a unique farmland sale that blends market strength with human interest. A 93‑year‑old landowner sold her 80‑acre farm for $1.54 million, but with one important condition: she retains the right to live on the property for the rest of her life.

The buyer accepted the life‑estate arrangement, reflecting both the continued demand for Iowa farmland and the flexibility some buyers are willing to show to secure high‑quality acres. The sale underscores the ongoing competitiveness of the state’s land market, where strong local demand and limited supply continue to drive notable transactions — often with personal stories behind them. Learn more from Successful FarmingIowa Farm Sells for $1.54 Million With One Condition: 93-Year-Old Owner Gets to Stay for Life

Midwest Farmland Values Hold Steady in an “Uncomfortable but Not Painful” Farm Economy

accountMktgLSB | calendar-monthJanuary 22, 2026

Our Midwest reporting states’ farmland values remain surprisingly steady—even as the farm economy feels “uncomfortable.” Tight margins, reduced input spending, and rising retirements haven’t translated into weaker land prices.

Hertz Real Estate Services reports that strong livestock profits, limited land supply, and continued farmer buying are keeping the market firm. The result? A land market that’s steady, resilient, and far from “painful.” Read more from Hertz Farm Management:  Midwest Farmland Values Hold Steady Despite “Uncomfortable” Farm Economy, Input Cuts, and Tight Margins