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Finding a Renter

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luv2hunt1469

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Would anyone have advice on the best way to find a farmer willing to cash rent crop ground and hay ground on their property? It isn’t the best farmland based on CSR and field size, but I feel the amount we are asking compensates for that. Our old tenant doesn’t want to do it anymore due to the size of his equipment and the smaller acreage. Crop ground is around 300 acres and hay ground is around 250 acres. The land is in southern iowa-ringgold co. Just looking for the best way to begin the search on finding a new renter

thanks!
 
Put the word out to your local seed dealers, crop ins agents and ag supply shops. I think those folks should be able to find the right farmer for you. Maybe an ad in the local paper might turn up something
 
Why not look into a CRP program. And/or the IHAP program. Even if the CRP is a little less than what you’re asking for rent, the benefits in hunting quality would make up for it. JMO
 
luv2hunt1469 said:
Would anyone have advice on the best way to find a farmer willing to cash rent crop ground and hay ground on their property? It isn’t the best farmland based on CSR and field size, but I feel the amount we are asking compensates for that. Our old tenant doesn’t want to do it anymore due to the size of his equipment and the smaller acreage. Crop ground is around 300 acres and hay ground is around 250 acres. The land is in southern iowa-ringgold co. Just looking for the best way to begin the search on finding a new renter

thanks!
Click to expand...
sent you a pm
 
seven twenty said:
Why not look into a CRP program. And/or the IHAP program. Even if the CRP is a little less than what you’re asking for rent, the benefits in hunting quality would make up for it. JMO
Click to expand...

It’s a good idea and we have already converted quite a bit of the gRound into various CRP programs. These fields are the better ground we have left in row crops to keep a some food around.
 
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luv2hunt1469 said:
Would anyone have advice on the best way to find a farmer willing to cash rent crop ground and hay ground on their property? It isn’t the best farmland based on CSR and field size, but I feel the amount we are asking compensates for that. Our old tenant doesn’t want to do it anymore due to the size of his equipment and the smaller acreage. Crop ground is around 300 acres and hay ground is around 250 acres. The land is in southern iowa-ringgold co. Just looking for the best way to begin the search on finding a new renter

thanks!
Click to expand...
Ask your old renter if he knows any young guys starting out. Young guys need all the help they can get to get started.
 
If it were me, I would just put the word out in the surrounding neighborhood. It would seem likely to me that someone within a few miles would have an interest. In my experience, I prefer having a "local" on my ground...they can also help keep an eye on things when you aren't there, etc.
 
Also I should add that there is a tax incentive to renting to a beginning farmer. That is someone that has been farming less than 10 years. I know you need a 3 year lease to qualify but not sure if there are other stipulations or not.
 
It's not hard to find renters. It's harder to find good renters. What I mean by that is, there are guys that will strip your land of minerals and create unhealthy soil. Harder to find someone who is replenishing fertilizer and minerals the crops take out. I'm in the process of hiring an agronomist to help me write leases in a way that ensures my soil health using different methods. He'll then continue to monitor fertilizer allocations and soil samples to hopefully help me ensure the ground is stable or improving from a health perspective.
I'm trying to shift to a long term outlook instead of just chasing the biggest payback for the next 2-3 years. Maybe I'm changing a pipe dream, we'll see.
 
deerdown said:
It's not hard to find renters. It's harder to find good renters. What I mean by that is, there are guys that will strip your land of minerals and create unhealthy soil. Harder to find someone who is replenishing fertilizer and minerals the crops take out. I'm in the process of hiring an agronomist to help me write leases in a way that ensures my soil health using different methods. He'll then continue to monitor fertilizer allocations and soil samples to hopefully help me ensure the ground is stable or improving from a health perspective.
I'm trying to shift to a long term outlook instead of just chasing the biggest payback for the next 2-3 years. Maybe I'm changing a pipe dream, we'll see.
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If you are worried about fertilizer, an easy option is you apply the fertilizer and just charge higher rent with the understanding that the fertilizer is included in the rent.
 
deerdown said:
It's not hard to find renters. It's harder to find good renters. What I mean by that is, there are guys that will strip your land of minerals and create unhealthy soil. Harder to find someone who is replenishing fertilizer and minerals the crops take out. I'm in the process of hiring an agronomist to help me write leases in a way that ensures my soil health using different methods. He'll then continue to monitor fertilizer allocations and soil samples to hopefully help me ensure the ground is stable or improving from a health perspective.
I'm trying to shift to a long term outlook instead of just chasing the biggest payback for the next 2-3 years. Maybe I'm changing a pipe dream, we'll see.
Click to expand...

Good points. ^^ Although I cannot recall specifics, I remember looking at a rental contract that a farmer friend of mine had for one of the tracts that he rents annually and it did include language that was specific to fertilizer(s), soil health and so forth. I do remember that it even had provisions in the event that the rental agreement ended and fertilizer(hog manure) had been applied the previous fall then there was some end of lease compensation to account for that.

While I don't recall a lot of details, I can say that at least some farmers get into those details in their rental agreements, so I would think that you could draft a rental agreement that specified those things.
 
re fert.... that's an easy one. maintenance of fertility language with periodic soil sampling as proof.

I know you said you already put some in CRP and left the good stuff to have a food source, but good golly 300 acres is ALOT of food source. Ringold is paying $173 per acre on new CRP. Unless you have some real good dirt that's on the high end of rental rates i'm seeing in southern Iowa. I know that wasn't your question, but maybe look at putting more in?
 
The fertility issue is why I suggested a manager who takes soil tests, gets crop yield data, protects the land / land owner moving forward. These can be tough conversations to have with your “neighbors”.


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The fertility thing is a must have, I bought a farm that had been mined, I almost fell down when I found out what it was gonna cost to bring it back, we are talking 4 years of rent payments to cover the bill.


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