Several farmland leasing meetings are coming up across Iowa and Greene County’s program is happening soon.

Greene County Extension Farm Management Specialist Alexis Stevens says the farmland leasing meeting will be held at the Greene County Extension Office in Jefferson on Tuesday, August 2nd at 9am. Topics that will be covered include reviewing current farmland value and lease rate trends, conservation practices, communication and legalities between the owner and tenant, writing and terminating a lease agreement, along with determining a fair rental rate, which Stevens points out farmland values have greatly increased.

“Especially in this area. I mean we’re looking anywhere from 20-25-percent in Greene County for our land values in the last year. Which makes us think, ‘Well if our land is worth more, I should probably be able to charge more for rent.’ So that’s the number one phone call I get right about now is, ‘Well how much can I increase my rent?’”  

Stevens says September 1st is a critical deadline that if there needs to be changes made to a lease agreement, a termination letter must be sent either to the owner or tenant. She explains Iowa’s law if no changes are made prior to that deadline.

“That agreement that you made back last March continues exactly the same way it was, whether it was written down or a handshake agreement that you guys made at the gas station, doesn’t matter. Legally in the state of Iowa, if you didn’t send a termination letter by September 1st you will keep the same agreements, you will keep the same tenant, the same price (and) nothing changes.”  

Tuesday’s meeting will last 2.5 hours and the cost to attend is $20 per person or $30 per couple. Contact the Greene County Extension Office at 515-386-2138 or stop by to sign up.