Jeff Stokes - Professor and Hanson-Clegg-Allen Chair in Agricultural Banking and Finance

Field of cover crops
Cover crops are increasingly being adopted by producers in Nebraska for their long-term environmental benefits and potential for immediate economic use through grazing and forage. (CAP photo)

Cover Crop Utilization, Implications for Cropland Lease Arrangements in 2024

August 23, 2024
The long-term environmental benefits of cover crops often extend beyond the duration of current lease agreements, leading to considerations in lease negotiations, particularly regarding rental discounts for tenants who plant cover crops.

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Cattle in pasture
Nebraska ranks fifth in the U.S. for rising farm real estate and third for rising cropland value in 2023. (Center for Ag Profitability/Real Ag Stock image)

USDA Reports on 2023 Nebraska Land Values and County-level Cash Rent Estimates

October 18, 2023
According to USDA estimates, Kansas, New Jersey and Nebraska have experienced the highest increases in U.S. cropland value this year.

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chart showing changes in farm real estate values

Nebraska Farm Real Estate and Financial Considerations in 2020

December 13, 2019
Agricultural producers face challenging financial circumstances on their cropland in 2020. While the upcoming production year provides a potentially better outlook, challenges remain for profitability and the health of the operation.

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Historical Analysis of Prevent Plant Cropland in Nebraska

October 16, 2019
How does this year's prevented planting compare with the last 10 years? Every season has its challenges, but heavy spring precipitation and flooding made this year one for the record books.

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Accounting for Risk: Agricultural Land Leases and Natural Disaster

August 16, 2019
The 2019 floods and related natural disasters left many landlords and tenants wondering how resulting damages would influence their agricultural properties across Nebraska. This article provides guidance on evaluating damages, considerations for remediating land issues, and natural disaster lease provisions.

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flooded field
Spring floods and soils that just didn't dry out led to prevented plant acres being reported on more than 400,000 acres of Nebraska cropland. Overall Nebraska ranked 16th in the nation on prevent plant acres.

USDA Reports 400,000 Acres of Prevented Plant Cropland in Nebraska

August 15, 2019
Crop producers across Nebraska reported more than 400,000 acres as prevented plant in 2019, ranking 16th nationally. How typical was your county? View county and state numbers from the USDA Farm Service Agency.

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Field of diverse cover crops
Field of diverse cover crops

Cover Crop Use and Implications for Cropland Lease Arrangements in 2019

July 8, 2019
Cover crops were planted on almost 750,000 acres in Nebraska in 2017, the last year of the USDA Ag Census. A recent Cornhusker Economics reports cover crop acreage by county as well as how to consider their short-term costs and potential long-term benefits when negotiating crop land leases.

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Map of Nebraska land values

Nebraska Land Values Drop 3% from 2018

June 28, 2019
The all-land average value in Nebraska for the year ending February 1, 2019 averaged about 3% lower than the year before, according to the Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Highlights report released this week. This marks five consecutive years of declining land values, accounting for a total decline of 20%.

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