Input Prices, Corn Prices, and Farmland Values

The value of farmland is dependent upon expectations of the future revenue and the costs associated with the land. Expected earnings are difficult to accurately predict. For example, the income generated by farmers started rising well before farmland values shot up. As market participants began to realize that farm incomes might remain at elevated levels for some time, land values increased rapidly. Now, farm incomes are falling and one is left to wonder what the implications of these lower incomes are for farmland values. The answer will likely depend upon how market participants expect revenues and costs to adjust going forward.  (more…)