Ag Business

Webinar for New Owners of Farmland

Written by Peggy Kirk Hall, Attorney and Director, Agricultural & Resource Law Program

Are you a new owner of farmland? Whether inheriting or purchasing farmland for the first time, a new farmland owner must choose what to do with the land. Farm it, sell it, lease it, preserve it — all are viable options that require an understanding of economic considerations and legal requirements.

Our upcoming webinar for the National Agricultural Law Center can help. Join me and Robert Moore on October 15, 2025 at Noon EST as we present “So Now You Own a Farm: A Beginner’s Guide to Farmland Ownership.” 

Based on our recently published Beginner’s Guide to Farmland Ownership, this webinar will provide practical insights and strategies on new farmland ownership.  We’ll cover topics such as:

  • Estimating the value of farmland;
  • How to sell, lease, manage, or preserve the land;
  • Protecting the farmland from risk.

The session can help both new farmland owners and the professionals who advise them better navigate the responsibilities, options, and decision-making that comes with farmland ownership.  Register for the free online webinar at https://nationalaglawcenter.org/webinars/beginners-farmland-ownership/. 

Annual Cost of Storing Ohio Corn and Soybeans Since 1973

By: Carl Zulauf, Professor Emeritus, Ohio State University; and Eric Richer, Associate Professor and Field Specialist , Ohio State University Extension

The cost of storing the average Ohio corn and soybean bushel since 1973 is examined.  Storage cost is measured three ways:  per bushel, relative to harvest price, and per acre of production.  All three measures are at or near post 1973 highs as total costs to store corn and soybeans have roughly doubled since 2020 and now exceed $1 per bushel for both corn and soybeans over a 12 month storage period.  This notable increase occurred after a long period (1974-2019) during which declining interest rates and thus interest opportunity storage cost per bushel largely offset increasing physical storage cost per bushel.  These storylines underscored the important role of interest rates and thus interest opportunity cost in offsetting or reinforcing on-going increases in physical storage cost.  The reinforcing role has been especially noticeable since 2020.

Procedures:

Starting this study with the 1974 marketing year postdates the increase in price variability that occurred in the early 1970s (Kenyon, Jones, and McGuirk).  The study ends with the last complete marketing year, 2024.  Cash price is the average monthly price paid to Ohio farmers by first handlers as reported by USDA (US Department of Agriculture), National Agricultural Statistics Service.  Storage starts in October, the month with the lowest average cash price.  Storage cost includes (a) physical storage cost at commercial facilities to keep the crop in useable condition and (b) interest opportunity cost of storing instead of selling at harvest.  Annual physical storage cost is from USDA, Commodity Credit Corporation through the 2005 marketing year.  Thereafter, it is for an Ohio country elevator, cross checked with another first delivery point.  Interest opportunity storage cost is calculated by multiplying (a) the October Ohio cash price times (b) the average one year US Treasury bill rate quoted on an investment basis for October as reported by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

Physical storage cost for corn and soybeans can vary, even within a state, across different local markets in any year due, in part, to different local supply and demand conditions for storage.  Moreover, the structure of commercial storage cost for corn and soybeans often varies from year to year.  Common structures are (a) monthly or daily charge per bushel, (b) monthly or daily charge per bushel plus an upfront charge, and (c) an initial charge for a period, for example 3 months, then a monthly or daily charge per bushel.  To create a standard format across years, physical storage cost were converted into a cost for the year (i.e., 12 months of storage). Continue reading Annual Cost of Storing Ohio Corn and Soybeans Since 1973 →

Planning for the Future of Your Farm Online Farm Transition and Estate Course Now Available

OSU Extension is pleased to announce that a new online self-paced course titled “Planning for the Future of Your Farm” is now available through OSU’s Professional and Continuing Education platform. This course is designed to help farm families navigate the complex process of farm transition and estate planning.

Using OSU Extension’s structured five-phase approach, participants explore strategies for transferring ownership, management, and assets to the next generation. The course emphasizes effective family communication, legal and financial planning tools, and proactive decision-making.

Whether your farm is large or small, this course provides the guidance that will help you to create a customized transition plan that reflects your family’s goals and values. Families are encouraged to participate together to develop a shared vision for the future. Continue reading Planning for the Future of Your Farm Online Farm Transition and Estate Course Now Available →

Time to Review Your Health Care Power of Attorney and Living Will

Written by Robert Moore

Planning for the future of a farm involves much more than deciding who will operate the business or inherit the land. It also means making decisions about your personal care if you cannot speak for yourself. Few topics are harder to consider than end-of-life treatment, but addressing them in advance can save loved ones from confusion and  conflict at a difficult time. Two legal documents are especially important for these decisions: the Health Care Power of Attorney and the Living Will Declaration. Continue reading Time to Review Your Health Care Power of Attorney and Living Will →

2026 Crop Insurance Decision – a cut and paste from last year or not?

By Clint Schroeder, Program Manager for Ohio Farm Business Analysis Program and Eric Richer, Field Specialist, Farm Management

With the projected price discovery period now closed for winter wheat Ohio farmers have until September 30, 2025, to select the crop insurance coverage that best suits their operation. However, the decision on policy type and coverage levels for 2026 crops could be impacted by the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Signed into law on July 4, 2025, OBBBA offers higher area-based policy coverage levels, increases premium support, and expands support for beginning farmers and ranchers. This article will highlight these key changes so that producers can make more informed decisions for 2026 production on their farm. Continue reading 2026 Crop Insurance Decision – a cut and paste from last year or not? →

A Recent Change to FSA Program Payments is Good for Farmers

By:Robert Moore

The One Big Beautiful Bill (HB 1) has received both praise and criticism from many commentators. However, one change that is clearly positive for farms is the provision allowing LLCs, corporations, and other liability-limiting entities to be eligible for multiple payments. This eliminates the need for some farms to choose between multiple FSA payments and unnecessary liability exposure.

Under the old rules, which remained in place through previous Farm Bills, LLCs and corporations were treated as a single “person” for FSA payment limitation purposes. This meant they were capped at one annual payment limit, historically $125,000 for programs such as Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), regardless of the number of owners or shareholders involved. To access multiple payment limitations, many farms had to operate as general partnerships, which increased exposure to personal liability.

In contrast, the new rules introduced by HB 1 treat LLCs and S corporations as pass-through entities, similar to partnerships. This allows each actively engaged member or shareholder to qualify for a separate payment limit, now inflation-adjusted to a base of $155,000 per person or entity. Continue reading A Recent Change to FSA Program Payments is Good for Farmers →

USDA NASS Survey – County Cash Rent Averages for 2025

Barry Ward, Ohio State’s leader in production business management and director of the income tax schools at Ohio State University, recently sent out an update to Extension offices about the county cash rent estimates for 2025. This data was released by USDA NASS this past Friday.

For Lorain County Farmers, the 2025 estimate average came out to $141 per acre. This is a 6.8% increase on the estimate from 2024. The 5-year average is $131 per acre.

While this information can provide a good starting point for conversations between landowners and their tenants, there are other considerations that can help you settle on an agreed rate for your ground.

Some of the other things to consider would be the cost of property taxes on the rented land, soil type, production history, land improvements (like tile vs no tile), expected crop prices, input costs, and anything else that the landowner might prioritize.

Ultimately, a fair cash rent will usually balance the local going rates with what the land can realistically produce; while ensuring the tenant can earn a margin and the owner gets competitive compensation.

There is also good information regarding farm leases on the OSU Law Library which can be located on the OSU Farm Office webpage, here: https://farmoffice.osu.edu/home

September 1 lease termination deadline is approaching for some farm leases

By:Peggy Kirk Hall, Attorney and Director, Agricultural & Resource Law Program

September 1 is fast approaching, and it’s an especially important date for landowners who lease cropland under an existing lease that does not address when or how the lease terminates. In those situations, September 1 is the deadline established by Ohio law for a landowner to notify a tenant that the landowner wants to terminate the lease. If the landowner does not provide notice by September 1, the tenant operator has a legal argument that the lease continues for another lease term because it was not terminated by the deadline.

Here are a few important provisions about the statutory termination law that are important to understand: Continue reading September 1 lease termination deadline is approaching for some farm leases →

2024 Farm Commodity Program Payment Estimates, Ohio Counties, August 18, 2025

By: Carl Zulauf, Seungki Lee, and David Marrison, Ohio State University, August 2025

2024 crop year payments for corn and soybeans are estimated for ARC-CO (Agriculture Risk Coverage – County version) using August 2025 estimates of 2024 crop year prices from USDA, FSA (US Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency) (https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/arc-plc/program-data) and estimates of county yields from USDA, RMA (Risk Management Agency) (https://webapp.rma.usda.gov/apps/RIRS/SCOYieldsRevenuesPaymentIndicators.aspx).  Legislation requires FSA to give primacy to RMA yields when determining ARC-CO payment, but FSA can also consider other factors when determining ARC-CO county yields.

Our next report will be the final FSA payment rates for 2024 crop year corn and soybeans.  They are expected to be released in October 2025.  They could differ notably from these estimates.  Crop year prices and county yields are not final.  Moreover, they currently in a range where small changes can cause large changes in ARC-CO payments.  Use these estimated payments with caution. Continue reading 2024 Farm Commodity Program Payment Estimates, Ohio Counties, August 18, 2025 →

Upcoming Webinar: Understanding the H-2A Program for Ohio Farms

By:Robert Moore

The labor needs of Ohio farms continue to evolve, and many producers are exploring new options to meet workforce demands. One of those options is the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program, which allows farms to hire seasonal labor from outside the United States.

The H-2A program is commonly used by labor-intensive farms such as fruit, vegetable, and nursery operations. However, it can also be an effective option for traditional row crop and livestock operations. This webinar will explain how the H-2A program works and discuss how it may be a good fit for row crop and livestock producers. The webinar will be hosted by OSU Extension Farm Office and the OSU Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics.

The online webinar will be held on Friday, September 12 at 10:00 am.  Free registration is available here: https://osu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__s5bd8oKQ3K0vLiTYuqSug

What You’ll Learn

This educational session will provide an overview of the current state of agricultural labor and explain the key aspects of the H-2A program, including:

  • What the H-2A program is and how it operates
  • Practical steps for farms interested in applying
  • The application process
  • Why H-2A may be useful for farms that have not traditionally used guest workers

Featured Speakers

The webinar will feature a panel of experts, including:

  • Margaret Jodlowski, Assistant Professor, Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics, The Ohio State University
  • Jeff Lewis, Attorney, OSU Agricultural and Resource Law Program
  • Robert Moore, Attorney, OSU Agricultural and Resource Law Program
  • Representative from the U.S. Department of Labor

Together, they will share insights into how H-2A functions and answer questions about its potential role in Ohio’s farm workforce.

For more information or questions, contact Robert Moore (moore.301@osu.edu).