Farm margins are tight and the headlines aren’t lying—tariffs, fertilizer and machinery costs, and labor constraints are hitting producers. Jackson Takach (Farmer Mac) breaks down what’s signal vs. noise.

What we cover:

• Tariffs 101: Section 301 (unfair trade), 232 (national security), and IEEPA actions (the biggest bucket and under legal challenge). Why these hit steel/aluminum and fertilizer components—and how that flows to implement and input prices.

• Costs that pay back vs. pure drag: seed tech and risk-reduction can be worth it; fertilizer, machinery and labor are harder to offset—2026 looks tighter than 2025.

• Adaptation that actually helps: proven tech + regenerative practices to reduce input reliance.

• Bankruptcies: Chapter 12 filings are up in Arkansas and Nebraska—rising from 2023–24 lows back toward 2018–20 levels.

• Regional stress drivers: soy/rice/cotton marketing pain and flooding in AR; feedlot squeeze and weaker soy export pull in NE.

• Policy + relief: ongoing US–China trade talks; ~$15–20B of prior-year USDA aid still to deploy; Farm Bill politics and PLC “facelift” dynamics.

• Opportunities: growing global protein demand, renewable diesel/SAF, and more U.S. soybean crush capacity.

• Labor & immigration: H‑2A works for seasonal crops; year‑round gaps push automation.

• AI’s real role: better data sense‑making and lending workflows—not replacing credit decisions.

• Land values: Midwest stabilizing/slipping, Southeast firming, West = water‑dependent. Introducing the Farmland Price Index (Farmer Mac × AcreValue) built on transactions, not surveys.

Farmer Mac

https://www.farmermac.com/

The Feed - Farmland Price Index (By Farmer Mac)

https://farmermac.com/thefeed/q2-2025-farmland-price-index-update/

National Land Realty

https://www.nationalland.com

Are you a landowner or developer weighing an auction vs. traditional listing—or a land agent who needs a faster, cleaner path to price discovery?

In this episode of The National Land Podcast, host Mac Christian sits down with Joel King—a 42-year real estate veteran (licensed across the South/Midwest)—to explain when auctions win, how to run them right, and when to walk away.

• When to choose auction: marketable asset, real buyer pool, and the ability to create competition (not every property qualifies).

• Subdivide smart: use local regs (septic/well/roads) and multi-par bidding to expand affordability without torching community goodwill.

• Auction types, plain and simple: reserve vs. absolute, sealed-bid, and why Dutch auctions are rare.

• Timeline that actually happens: ~45–60 days to auction, ~30 days to close—about 90 days end-to-end.

• Due diligence that protects you: title search early, screen the seller (SOS), require bidder access, no post-auction contingencies, and order Phase I (and II if needed) for potential EPA issues.

• Price discovery by competition: the crowd validates value; proper increments and structure prevent the “sold for a dollar” myth.

• Marketing that moves the needle: rifle (targeted) > shotgun; local/regional/national mix; weekdays for commercial; avoid big game days; Midwest selling season is Sep 15–Mar 15.

• Creating value: utilities/road tweaks, owner-finance options, and bank/REO case studies where breaking into digestible tracts unlocked 6-figure gains.

• Expectation management: don’t “buy the listing.” Need/want ≠ value (your four heirs wanting $1M each doesn’t set price).

• Landowners who want a 90-day exit or real price discovery

• Developers/land funds, banks, trustees, receivers moving inventory at scale

• Ag operators pruning marginal tracts to strengthen balance sheets

• Land agents/brokers adding a proven auction tool to close tough listings

Bottom line: If more than one qualified buyer wants it, a well-run auction can beat months on the market. Get the right team, do the diligence, set a real timeline, and let competition do its job.

Talk with Joel King

https://nationalland.com/real-estate-agent/joel-king

National Land Realty

https://www.nationalland.com

Are you a landowner who wants your ranch to pass cleanly to the next generation—or a land agent tired of deals dying over cloudy title?

In this episode of The National Land Podcast, host Mac Christian sits down with Tiffany Dowell Lashmet (Ag Law Professor & Extension Specialist, Texas A&M) and Wayne Dunson (Managing Broker, National Land Realty—West Texas) to demystify probate—the legal process that moves assets from the deceased to the living—and the tools that keep it from blowing up your land plans.

What You’ll Learn:

• What probate is and why you still need it even if there’s a will

• Dying without a will (intestacy): how state statutes—not your wishes—divide assets and create messy joint ownership

• Why failing to probate strands title in the deceased’s name, blocks sales, and costs heirs more later (e.g., Texas has a typical 4-year window)

• Wills vs. Trusts: trusts can bypass probate entirely; when each makes sense for landowners

• Texas will execution basics: handwritten (holographic) vs. typewritten wills, witness rules, and why beneficiaries shouldn’t witness

• Probate-avoidance tools: LLCs and transfer-on-death deeds (in Texas, revocable) to move property with only a death certificate

• Real-world horror stories: unknown heirs, missing co-owners, partition suits, deep discounts to clear title

• Family dynamics you must address now: on-farm vs. off-farm heirs, unequal contributions, and setting expectations

• Why DIY online forms backfire on farms/ranches—hire an ag-savvy estate-planning attorney in your state

• Agent playbook: verify probate status early, flag title clouds, and get clients to counsel before listing

This episode is a must-listen for:

• Landowners and family decision-makers on farms and ranches

• Heirs, executors, and trustees facing title/estate questions

• Land agents/brokers who want to prevent deal-killing probate issues

• CPAs and attorneys serving rural clients

Don’t punt on probate. A valid, state-compliant plan now is cheaper than courtroom chaos later—get the right documents in place, probate on time, and keep your land legacy intact.

Read about Tiffany Lashmet

https://agecon.tamu.edu/people/dowell-lashmet-tiffany/

Contact Wayne Dunson

https://nationalland.com/real-estate-agent/wayne-dunson

National Land Realty

Buy, Sell, Lease, or Auction Land

https://www.nationalland.com