
Farm Management In Iowa
Hands-On Approach to Farm Management
At Smith Land Service Co., we believe in our product. Every one of us, including Deb, owns farmland and is directly involved in the operation of that investment. That gives us a practical, hands-on approach to farm management that our clients appreciate. In the mid to late 1990's, we began to see a major shift from traditional crop-share to cash rent farm leases. Farm consolidation to larger, more efficient operations has fueled the voracious demand for rental cropland, and as a consequence, market cash rents have been bid up to the point they can equal or even exceed returns from a crop-share lease. It is only logical that the majority of Iowa landowners now select the cash-rent approach for the simplicity & predictability of income return. Although we have experience with most lease forms, our management services have been developed to follow the trend toward cash rent.
If we were to sum up a successful farm lease & farm managementrelationship with one word, it would be accountability. From applying fertilizer pursuant to soil test requirements to a herbicide program that addresses weed resistance, to cutting trees out of terraces and road fences, we have a responsibility to make sure our owner's expectations are addressed and met.