Landowners, renters and other agribusiness professionals with an interest in farmland ownership, management and leasing should consider attending a farmland leasing workshop sponsored by the NDSU Extension Service. Workshops scheduled across North Dakota for November and December are:
- Dec. 10, 1 p.m., at the Farmers Union Conference Room in Jamestown
- Dec. 11, 9 a.m., at the Hettinger Research Extension Center
- Dec. 11, 1:30 p.m., at the Dickinson Research Extension Center
- Dec. 12, 9 a.m., at the Burleigh County Extension office in Bismarck
- Dec. 13, 1 p.m., in the Omega Mall Omega Room in LaMoure
Additional workshops are being scheduled for January and February.
Rising land values, strong commodity prices and high production costs have made it more difficult for operators and landowners to successfully determine appropriate farmland lease arrangements. The workshops are offered to help landowners and renters identify and manage the risk associated with rental agreements.
Dwight Aakre and Andy Swenson, NDSU Extension farm management specialists, and Willie Huot, Grand Forks County Extension agent, will be the main presenters.
One of the topics is a historical perspective on farmland values and rents, with emphasis on causal factors and future risks. Concepts and practical examples of how to determine equitable rents also will be presented.
The main session will help participants better understand different rental arrangements, such as cash rent, share rent and flexible cash rent. There will be a session on how producers can improve their land rental negotiations by enhancing the communication process with landowners. This includes the use of resumes, portfolios and frequent communications to keep landowners informed and educated about their operation and vision for a particular tract of land.
NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.