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Farm Managers

Broot

Member
Can a farm manager sell land rights without the landowner’s consent?

Kind of a long story so I’ll try to condense. I’ve been hunting a neighbor/friend’s land (timber) for a couple of years now. Known them for 20 ish years. They are an elderly farming couple (crops and cattle), so we help them whenever they need it.

About a year ago, the farmer was talked into (reluctantly) hiring a farm manager. The manager has been making a lot of decisions that the landowner isn’t particularly fond of, but goes along with. But I won’t bore you with all that, and will get right to what the post is about.

Apparently, the farm manager called up the landowner and told him not to be letting people on the timber ground to hunt, because the manager has sold the hunting rights to the neighbor across the fence. A neighbor that the landowner isn’t all that thrilled with. The farm manager will be putting up “no hunting” signs along the property.

Myself and a few other people hunt the timber every year. A least two of the other guys that hunt it have already asked for permission this year (verbal), and the landowner already gave me permission as well. But he told us we can’t hunt afterall, since the farm manager sold the rights.

Anyway, can farm managers really sell rights to land without the landowner’s approval? Seems kinda strange to me, but I don’t know. Not as worried about not being able to hunt there (I have a few other places to hunt) as what the manager has been up to. Concerned the landowner is getting burned by this manager (who’s actual business is not managing, but selling farmland (ag realty))

Thanks for any input.
 
Can a farm manager sell land rights without the landowner’s consent?

Kind of a long story so I’ll try to condense. I’ve been hunting a neighbor/friend’s land (timber) for a couple of years now. Known them for 20 ish years. They are an elderly farming couple (crops and cattle), so we help them whenever they need it.

About a year ago, the farmer was talked into (reluctantly) hiring a farm manager. The manager has been making a lot of decisions that the landowner isn’t particularly fond of, but goes along with. But I won’t bore you with all that, and will get right to what the post is about.

Apparently, the farm manager called up the landowner and told him not to be letting people on the timber ground to hunt, because the manager has sold the hunting rights to the neighbor across the fence. A neighbor that the landowner isn’t all that thrilled with. The farm manager will be putting up “no hunting” signs along the property.

Myself and a few other people hunt the timber every year. A least two of the other guys that hunt it have already asked for permission this year (verbal), and the landowner already gave me permission as well. But he told us we can’t hunt afterall, since the farm manager sold the rights.

Anyway, can farm managers really sell rights to land without the landowner’s approval? Seems kinda strange to me, but I don’t know. Not as worried about not being able to hunt there (I have a few other places to hunt) as what the manager has been up to. Concerned the landowner is getting burned by this manager (who’s actual business is not managing, but selling farmland (ag realty))

Thanks for any input.

If the LO was that upset he’d do something about it...he can fire the farm manager if he’s that unhappy.


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I am not sure what the agreement is between the land owner and the land manager, and that is what will likely determine this, but I do believe that the default in Iowa is that the tenant has hunting rights, not the owner. I know that a land owner in Iowa who wants to preserve hunting rights on his own land when there is a tenant on the land, needs to make sure that the lease agreement specifically reserves those hunting rights for the owner.

My guess is that the farm manager knows this and that whatever agreement there is, probably favors the land manager.
 
I am not sure what the agreement is between the land owner and the land manager, and that is what will likely determine this, but I do believe that the default in Iowa is that the tenant has hunting rights, not the owner. I know that a land owner in Iowa who wants to preserve hunting rights on his own land when there is a tenant on the land, needs to make sure that the lease agreement specifically reserves those hunting rights for the owner.

My guess is that the farm manager knows this and that whatever agreement there is, probably favors the land manager.

Unfortunately that’s correct and he’s probably cheating the LO out of some income


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If the LO was that upset he’d do something about it...he can fire the farm manager if he’s that unhappy.


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That’s a problem all in itself. The LO is a pushover, and has been as long as I’ve known him. He originally told the farm manager he was only hired for the 2019 season, but about a month ago, the farm manager told the LO that he “didn’t tell him in time”, and is locked in for 2020 ;):rolleyes: LO goes along with it. And as you say, the LO has definitely been getting screwed by the FM. Hate to see it, but I can’t do much other than tell the LO he’s getting screwed, as I have suggested many times before.

Anyway, thanks guys for the input. That’s about what I figured, but thought I’d ask you fine gents that are a bit more knowledgeable.

Broot
 
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That’s a problem all in itself. The LO is a pushover, and has been as long as I’ve known him. He originally told the farm manager he was only hired for the 2019 season, but about a month ago, the farm manager told the LO that he “didn’t tell him in time”, and is locked in for 2020 ;):rolleyes: LO goes along with it. And as you say, the LO has definitely been getting screwed by the FM. Hate to see it, but I can’t do much other than tell the LO he’s getting screwed, as I have suggested many times before.

Anyway, thanks guys for the input. That’s about what I figured, but thought I’d ask you fine gents that are a bit more knowledgeable.

Broot

Who are you calling a "fine gent"? I'm offended by that! :) :)
 
That’s a problem all in itself. The LO is a pushover, and has been as long as I’ve known him. He originally told the farm manager he was only hired for the 2019 season, but about a month ago, the farm manager told the LO that he “didn’t tell him in time”, and is locked in for 2020 ;):rolleyes: LO goes along with it. And as you say, the LO has definitely been getting screwed by the FM. Hate to see it, but I can’t do much other than tell the LO he’s getting screwed, as I have suggested many times before.

Anyway, thanks guys for the input. That’s about what I figured, but thought I’d ask you fine gents that are a bit more knowledgeable.

Broot

No way, unless it’s spelled out in a contract he didn’t tell him to late. Man I’d like to talk to this farm manager and landowner. Ones screwing and the others taking it


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