Northwest Iowa — Information from the latest survey by the Iowa State University Extension department shows most northwest Iowa farmland remains in the hands of “locals” when it’s sold.
Economist Wendong Zhang conducts the annual survey.
He says the land generally stays with families until someone decides that no longer want to farm.
He says there are few young people who own farmland.
While the latest survey showed the third straight drop in land prices, Zhang says it is still hard for new farmers to find the resources to get into farming.
He says there are some farm programs now available to try and help young people get into farming. Zhang isn’t expecting a lot of big changes though in the next several years in the ownership of Iowa farmland.
