Trends in US Farmland Values and Ownership Webinar

October 10, 2012 (Wednesday)
Jennifer Ifft and Todd Kuethe - USDA/Economic Research Service
1:00 PM – Eastern Time
http://connect.msu.edu/ncrcrd


About the webinar:
Because farm real estate represents much of the value of U.S. farm sector assets, large swings in farmland values can affect the financial well-being of agricultural producers. This report examines both macroeconomic (interest rates, prices of alternative investments) and parcel-specific (soil quality, government payments, proximity to urban areas) factors that affect farmland values. In the last few years, U.S. farmland values have been supported by strong farm earnings, which have helped the farm sector in many regions to withstand the residential housing downturn. Historically low interest rates are likely a significant contributor to farming’s current ability to support higher land values. About 40 percent of U.S. farmland has been rented over the last 25 years. Non-operators (landowners who do not themselves farm) owned 29 percent of land in farms in 2007, though that proportion has declined since 1992.

About the Speakers:
Todd Kuethe is an economist with the Farm and Rural Business Branch in the Resource and Rural Economics Division of the USDA Economic Research Service. Todd conducts research on land values and farm management. Todd holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University, an M.S. in Agribusiness Economics from Southern Illinois University, and a B.S. in Economics from Saint Louis University, John Cook School of Business.

Jennifer Ifft is an economist with the Farm and Rural Business Branch in the Resource and Rural Economics Division of the USDA Economic Research Service. Jenny conducts research on farmland values and use, and is responsible for the USDA farm business income forecasts. Jennifer holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California Berkeley, a M.Phil. in Land Economy from the University of Cambridge and a B.S. in International, Resource and Consumer Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Registration: There is no registration and no fee for attending this webinar.

To join the webinar go to http://connect.msu.edu/ncrcrd, “enter as a guest” is by default already chosen. Type your name into the text box provided, and click on “Enter Room”. You are now in the meeting room for the webinar.

The webinar will be recorded and archived at http://ncrcrd.msu.edu/ncrcrd/chronological_archive.

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-- Rosa Soliz