Many moving pieces and questions come with land ownership.

Land ownership can often create questions and become stressful and overwhelming for the inheritor, purchaser, farmer, renter, families, and anyone involved. 

Make the most informed decisions for your land by gaining valuable knowledge and insights from university and industry experts on a wide range of topics critical to their success in an approachable, straightforward way at the Farmland Owners Conference.

About the Farmland Owners Conference

An exclusive conference created to provide landowners and those involved in the ownership process with valuable knowledge, networking, and insights from university and industry experts on a wide range of topics critical to their success in an approachable, straightforward way. Attendees will walk away with the knowledge needed to manage and maintain their land, develop strong working relationships with tenants and farmers, and confidently plan out the future legacy of their land. Thank you to the 2024 conference sponsors: Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Soybean Association, Illinois Valley Community College, and Illinois Extension. 

2024 Conference Details

Farmland Owners Conference
November 25 | 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Illinois Valley Community College, 815 N. Orlando Smith Rd., Oglesby

Register

Conference presentation and discussion topics include: 

  • Negotiating cash rent.
  • Understanding current land values and appraisals.
  • Soil fertility: Protecting your investment.
  • Solar energy on your land.
  • Maintaining profits while protecting the environment.
  • Types of insurance you need for your farm.
  • Navigating Farm Service Agency forms and requirements.
  • Estate planning.
  • Organic production.

Registration fee is $65 and covers all presentations, refreshments, and lunch by Nov. 20 at go.illinois.edu/Landowner2024.

If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate, or for more information, contact Emily Hansen at 
emhansen@illinois.edu, 815-224-0896. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time for meeting accessibility needs.

Conference Schedule

8 a.m. - Registration and Breakfast

8:45 a.m. - Welcome

9 a.m. - Main Session 1: Land Values, Auctions, and Appraisals
Presenter: Don Meyer, Real Estate Broker and Auctioneer

10 a.m. - Breakout Session 1

  • Solar Farms
  • Estate Planning
  • Grain Marketing
  • Organic Production

10:45 a.m. - Breakout Session 2

  • Carbon Markets
  • Property Taxes
  • Professional Farm Management
  • Weeds and Landowners

11:30 a.m. - Breakout Session 3

  • Land Rights
  • FSA Programs
  • Climate
  • Policy

12:00 p.m. - Lunch
Presenter: Women Landowner Learning Circle Hosted by American Farmland Trust

1:00 p.m. - Breakout Session 4

  • Crop Insurance
  • Land Surveys
  • Timber Management
  • Next Generation of Farmers

1:45 p.m. - Breakout Session 5

  • Nutrient Management
  • General Insurance
  • Cover Crops
  • Industrial Hemp

2:30 p.m. - Main Session 2: Soil Health
Presenter: Abigail Peterson, Illinois Soybean Association

3:00 p.m. - Main Session 3: Stewardship
Presenter: Dan Schaffer, Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association