Soil management and land valuation conference set for May 20

Join farmland and agricultural experts to gain insight into current issues affecting land markets

Farm managers, rural appraisers, real estate brokers and others interested in the Iowa land market can expect timely updates at this year’s Soil Management and Land Valuation Conference on May 20 in Ames.

Experts will examine current issues in rural property management, appraisal, the selling and buying of land and agricultural policy.

The annual conference – now in its 98th year – is the longest-running at Iowa State University in research and extension. The program is planned each year by the ISU Extension and Outreach Agricultural Economics team in the Department of Economics.

This year’s conference will be held at the Scheman Building, with check-in beginning at 7:30 a.m. and the conference running from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Conference speakers and topics

This year’s conference examines several current issues in rural property management, appraisal, sale and purchase of land and agricultural policy to better understand land markets.

Rabail Chandio, conference chairperson, assistant professor and extension economist at ISU, will begin the day reviewing attendees’ land value forecasts, followed by a discussion on economic forces shaping agriculture from Steve Elmore, chief economist at Corteva. A brief session will focus on recent ISU work on AI in agriculture, presented by James Koltes, associate professor in the Department of Animal Science at ISU. 

Pete Burmeister, relationship officer with Farm Credit Services of America, and Jeff Burges with Mediapolis Savings Bank, will share about financial stress and farming. Then, Dan Culhane from the Ames Regional Economic Alliance will present on the livestock sector and the new Daisy plant in Iowa. 

After lunch, Keith Schilling, director of the Iowa Geological Survey, will present “Iowa’s Water Future: Aquifers, Supply, and Farm Implications.” Panel speakers on soil health, conservation, and farmland value will include Carolyn King, vice president with ContinuumAg, and Jeremy Hollingsworth, area soil health specialist with the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Kristine Tidgren, director for the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation at ISU, will provide legal updates affecting land purchases and sales. Closing the event is Chad Hart, professor and extension economist at ISU, with a crop markets outlook. 

Chandio said the conference will continue to educate those in the Iowa land market, enabling them to make more informed decisions. 

“Today’s agricultural economy is being squeezed by tightening margins and limited working capital, creating real financial stress. At the same time, longer-term forces, especially the rise of AI and emerging sector-specific opportunities in animal agriculture, are reshaping the horizon,” she said. “These pressures and possibilities affect everyone across the ag economy. Whether you’re managing land, buying and selling it or evaluating its value, there’s a lot to gain from hearing directly from experts who are tracking these issues every day.”

The cost to register for the conference is $150; registration is required to attend. 

Participants are also eligible to receive seven hours of continuing education credit for real estate and appraisal licenses upon conclusion of the program. 

For more information and a full agenda, visit Soil Management and Land Valuation Conference, or contact Rabail Chandio at [email protected] or Nathan Cook at [email protected].

PHOTO: Iowa Big Sky. (Adobe Stock-#552688266 │ Bill Chizek)