Farm Business Management Blogs

Illinois farmers and landowners have completed their farm lease negotiations for the 2026 production year. Forecasts indicate farmers will endure a fourth year in a row of operational losses. However, government payments have lessened this impact, and because each farm is different, the results are...

Farmland Sales in Illinois are continuing their recent pattern of being unpredictable. Low farmer profits are the main driver of this volatility, but other factors also weigh on the marketplace. Sources for this article include: The Land Sales Bulletin, the 2026 Illinois Farmland...

A USDA Certified Wetland Review is required before altering farm drainageMost farmers and absentee landowners who own or farm cropland in Illinois rely on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) benefit programs. These programs serve as a safety net to keep farm operations economically...

This article is not to be construed as legal advice. Consult with your legal advisor before entering tile agreements.Contractors design modern farm drainage-tile installations to last for many decades. Some older systems are approaching and exceeding 100 years old. Hiring an experienced,...

This article is not to be construed as legal advice. Consult with your legal advisor before entering tile agreements.Installing the necessary drainage tile on your farm often requires a tile main to direct water through an underground drain tile system and then through a neighbor’s...

Note: This article is not to be construed as legal advice. Consult with your legal advisor before entering tile agreements. Improving farm drainage tiles in Illinois can be very challenging because most farmland is owned by absentee landowners rather than by the farmer. Owners...

As the Midwest agriculture sector faces another year of low profits, farmers need to take a closer look at their farm balance sheet, which is a snapshot of their financial condition on a specific day. The market-value balance sheet is based on the current value of farm assets owned,...

With lower grain prices, higher interest rates, and increased production costs, some farms are facing a challenging financial situation. According to the Federal Reserve, the number of individuals experiencing severe financial stress remains low, but the trend is moving upward. The hard news is...

Having a well-written farm lease is vital in today's farm rental marketplace. The purpose of this article is to provide tips to consider when constructing a cash farm lease in Illinois. Landowners and farmers can find farm lease templates online. Commonly used lease templates in Illinois are...