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

Are you a landowner buying or selling ag ground, or a land agent who wants a real, defensible way to put money back in your client’s pocket?

In this episode of The National Land Podcast, host Mac Christian talks with Alec Bean and Karly Pavlinac of The Soil Tax Guys about a powerful, underused tool: IRS Section 180. In plain English, you can deduct the excess soil fertility you acquire with a farm or ranch, treating those nutrients like an asset, if you follow the rules.

Whether you row-crop, graze cattle, or market farmland, you’ll learn how to lock in a one-time, use-it-or-lose-it deduction that can materially change deal math.

• How Section 180 works (fertility valued via soil tests and USDA pricing = tax deduction)

• The critical timing: test after closing and before any fertilizer is applied

• Typical values (~$500/ac averages) and real cases topping $1k–$6.5k/ac

• Three ways CPAs take it: all at once, 60/30/10 over 3 years, or over useful life

• Where it applies: food and forage production (crops, grazing)—not timber/hunting-only tracts

• State nuances: why land-grant university guidelines drive which nutrients count

• Deal strategy: pre-sale testing as a marketing tool, auction use, and portfolio roll-forward

• Risk & readiness: audit-defensible reports (GPS’d sampling, documentation) and common CPA misconceptions

• Edge cases: recent purchases with no fertilizer yet, and why inheritance usually doesn’t qualify

• Farm/ranch owners buying or selling ground

• Land brokers/auctioneers who want a sharper pitch (and faster closings)

• Operators expanding portfolios who reinvest tax savings into the next deal

• Heirs/trustees evaluating sale vs. hold strategies on working land

Don’t leave five or six figures on the table. If ag is the use, Section 180 should be on your checklist every single time.

Are you a landowner who wants to keep your place working, without watching it get carved into subdivisions? Or a land agent who needs a straight, defensible path to long-term land protection and tax advantages?

In this episode of The National Land Podcast, host Mac Christian sits down with Sara Johnson (Conservation Biologist, North American Land Trust) and Doug Bruggeman (National Land Realty agent & ecological economist) to break down the most powerful, yet misunderstood tool in private-land conservation: the conservation easement.

Whether you ranch, farm, manage timber, or own family hunting ground, this episode shows how to protect land in perpetuity, keep core uses, and capture real tax benefits, without killing resale.

What You’ll Learn:

• How conservation easements actually work (reserved rights, building envelopes, what’s allowed vs. restricted)
• How appraisals drive tax deductions and multi-year carryforwards, plus special treatment for farmers and ranchers
• What baseline documentation and ongoing stewardship look like (so you avoid violations)
• How mitigation/species banking fits in (yes, “bat banks”) and when it applies
• Market reality: selling conserved land, busting the “no buyers” myth, and planning for legacy
• Risk control: avoiding inflated appraisals, handling violations, and the rare eminent-domain edge cases

This episode is a must-listen for:

• Landowners who want to lock in open space, wildlife habitat, and water quality
• Brokers/agents advising clients on conservation-forward exit strategies
• Ranchers, farmers, and timber owners balancing income with protection
• Heirs and family trustees aiming to prevent future subdivision and keep the place intact
• Don’t guess your way through “forever.” If you want your acreage protected and still productive, this is the candid playbook on conservation easements.

North American Land Trust

https://northamericanlandtrust.org/

Talk with Doug Bruggeman

https://nationalland.com/real-estate-agent/doug-bruggeman

National Land Realty

https://www.nationalland.com

2025’s ag laws, no spin. American Farm Burueau Federation Economist, Daniel Munch, breaks down what the American Relief Act and HR1 (“One Big Beautiful Bill”) actually changed for farmers, ranchers, and timberland owners: disaster aid, tax relief, ARC/PLC extensions, conservation through 2031, disease‑readiness funding—and what Washington still hasn’t fixed.

• Why these passed: must‑pass funding + reconciliation math, not kumbaya.

• Core programs extended to 2031: ARC/PLC, Dairy Margin Coverage; EQIP/CSP/ACEP funded forward.

• CRP: not extended in HR1; needs separate action (a “skinny” farm bill or stand‑alone).

• Disaster money: ~$30B total in the Relief Act (≈$10B economic aid to row‑crops; ≈$20B disasters). Helpful, not enough to backfill multi‑year crop, livestock, timber, and infrastructure losses.

• Drought trigger fixed: LFP now four consecutive weeks of qualifying drought (down from eight).

• Rancher win: LIP now 100% compensation for federally protected predator kills (wolves/grizzlies).

• State block grants: Flexibility for hard‑hit states (e.g., hurricane zones) that can include timber.

• Taxes you can actually use: Estate tax exemption permanent at $15M / $30M couple; 199A stays; bonus depreciation back; Section 179 expensing up to $2.5M for equipment and capital improvements (barns, fencing, irrigation).

• Clean fuel credits (45Z): benefits risk getting stuck at processors unless contracts force value back to growers.

• Disease readiness: $233M/year mandated for stockpiles, diagnostics, training—real money to keep herds healthy.

• Market context: Land values up but margins down; these programs support lender confidence but don’t erase price pressure.

• Foreign land ownership: Data/reporting gaps are real; enforcement and look‑through need teeth; private‑property rights vs. national‑security concerns.

• Why SNAP stays in the farm bill: urban votes keep farm programs alive. No SNAP = no votes = no farm bill.

American Farm Bureau Federation

https://www.fb.org/

One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Final Agricultural Provisions, by Daniel Munch

https://www.fb.org/market-intel/one-big-beautiful-bill-act-final-agricultural-provisions

National Land Realty

Buy, Sell, Lease, or Auction Land

https://www.nationalland.com

Buying land? Skip the septic due diligence and you could light $30,000–$40,000 on fire. In this episode, host Mac Christian sits down with Tyler Sgro, President & CEO of Davis Horizons (licensed professional soil classifier), and Robert Waddell of National Land Realty to lay out—in plain English—how septic systems make or break raw land purchases.

We cut through the hype on septic vs. sewer, conventional (non‑engineered) vs. engineered systems, and the real drivers of cost: soil texture, seasonal high water table/zone of saturation, space constraints, topography, and bedroom count. You’ll get a straight answer on the “perc (perk) test” vs. soil test debate (hint: in South Carolina it’s a soil classification that matters), plus what actually happens in the drain field, how septic tanks work, and the maintenance that keeps systems from failing.

What you’ll learn (without the sales pitch):

• When a lot truly supports a conventional drain field and when you’ll need an engineered/pre‑treatment system—and why engineered isn’t “bad,” it’s just different.

• Budgeting that doesn’t blow up: why a soil test before closing protects you from $30k–$40k surprises; typical pump‑out costs (~$500 every 3–5 years); realistic lifespans (conventional ~30–50 years; treatment systems ~20–30 years).

• How bedroom count dictates system size (plan for more bedrooms now; you can scale down later) and the regulatory planning number of ~120 gallons/day per bedroom.

• Mounded fill vs. pre‑treatment: footprint trade‑offs, aesthetics, and costs in shallow‑groundwater or poor‑soil scenarios.

• Wetlands & permits: when you cannot place a system without a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wetland fill permit; why setbacks and space—not just acreage—often control feasibility.

• Common failure points (and how to avoid them): solids getting past the tank, flushing the wrong materials, vacation‑rental usage spikes (barrier‑island problem), and ignoring annual service on advanced treatment units.

• Replacement realities & regulations: why many replacements are treated as repairs (SC context) and when a new soil look makes sense on older systems.

Who this episode is for: land buyers and sellers, agents, builders, homesteaders, developers, investors—anyone evaluating buildable acreage without municipal sewer.

Guests:

• Tyler Sgro, President & CEO, Davis Horizons — a tech‑forward soil services firm operating statewide in South Carolina.

• Robert Waddell, National Land Realty — 14 years in land sales with a focus on contract contingencies that actually protect buyers.

Bottom line: If septic feasibility isn’t a top contract contingency, you’re gambling with your buildability, your budget, and your timeline.

Davis Horizons Website

https://www.davishorizons.com/

National Land Realty

https://www.nationalland.com

Are you a landowner preparing to sell your property—or a land agent looking to offer clients smarter exit strategies?

In this episode of The National Land Podcast, host Mac Christian sits down with Chad Ettmueller, Senior Vice President at JCR Settlements, to break down a powerful—but often overlooked—tool for land sellers: Structured Installment Sales under IRS Section 453.

Whether you're retiring from agriculture, offloading inherited land, or just looking to lock in current market highs, this episode will show you how to defer capital gains taxes, create guaranteed income streams, and even build multi-generational wealth using your land sale proceeds.

• How structured installment sales work—and how they differ from traditional annuities

• Ways to defer capital gains taxes legally and effectively at the time of sale

• Why sellers are using these tools to avoid lump-sum windfalls and secure long-term financial stability

• Flexible strategies for combining structured sales with 1031 exchanges

• Options for index-linked growth using S&P, NASDAQ, and Franklin Templeton indexes

• Real-world examples of landowners increasing value over time

• Use cases for land-rich, cash-poor sellers in farming, ranching, and inherited land scenarios

This episode is a must-listen for:

• Landowners selling real estate or farmland

• Real estate agents and brokers advising high-net-worth clients

• Retiring farmers or ranchers seeking secure income

• Heirs and beneficiaries planning for wealth transfer or college funding

Don't sell land without hearing this first. Whether you’re liquidating for lifestyle reasons or just want a better tax strategy, structured installment sales could be your most powerful tool.

Visit JCR Settlements to learn more about Structured Installment Sales

https://www.jcrsettlements.com/installment-sales

Visit National Land Realty if you are interested in buying, selling, leasing, or auctioning land.

https://www.nationalland.com