Area Updates 

Please see below for details regarding conditions throughout our service area… 

Indiana: Russ Hiatt, Sr. Farm Manager, Danville, Indiana, reports: The official declaration of fall has been greeted with the beginning of harvest in East Central Illinois and West Central Indiana. The earlier planted beans are ripe and yield reports indicate that the yields are going to vary significantly depending on the planting dates, the effects of the early spring flooding, and the variety's maturity. Some early bean yield reports are as high as the low 60s to a low of the high 40s per acres. We have had spotty rains through September with no storm damage to cause any concern at this point. The corn is close to being ready to harvest with several tests showing grain moisture levels approaching the low 20s. We are expecting the corn yields to vary throughout the area again depending on how things faired coming out of the spring planting season. My preliminary yield estimates indicate yields over 200 bushels/acre to as low as 150 bushels/acre on average productivity ground. Land prices continue to show strength in our area with prices ranging from $5,000 to $6,000 per acre for land that is considered to be good average productivity.  

In the next week we will see both corn and bean harvest in full swing. 

For additional information, please contact Russ Hiatt, AFM, at (765) 385-2266 or email rhiatt@farmersnational.com.  

Central Nebraska: Doyle Onnen, our Accredited Farm Manager (AFM), in York, Nebraska, reports: We are nearly done with seed corn harvest and that has gone fairly well with good yields a little above expected. Soybean harvest is about 5 percent completed with yields still being determined, but expected to be near average on the irrigated and a little above average for the dryland acres. We would like to average 65 bushels per irrigated acre for soybeans, but may have trouble reaching that plateau. Dryland soybean yields should be fairly good, averaging 45 bushels per acre and greater. Corn harvest should begin within the next 10 days, and yields are expected to be average to slightly above. Hopefully, there will be a sizable number of irrigated corn acres at 200 bushels per acre and up. The dryland corn is expected to be better than average with the possibility of yields at 130 bushels per acre and better. 

Land prices continue to be very strong with irrigated farms mostly running from $5,000 to $5,800 per acre. Dryland farmland prices are also strong with sales of $2,500 to $3,100 expected this fall. There has not been very much pasture land sell, but we are expecting to continue in the area of $1,000 to $1,500 per acre depending upon quality. Farm leasing and the demand for land from area farmers to rent or buy continues to be very strong. Soils are fairly dry in my area and combining should be completed without hindrance. 

For additional information, please contact Doyle Onnen, AFM, at (402) 362-5892 or email donnen@farmersnational.com.   

Northwest Iowa, Travis Johnson, AFM, Milford, Iowa, shares his thoughts on the conditions in his area: Crop progress in my area continues to lag a couple weeks behind normal. Soybean harvest has just started to get underway. Early harvest results have been somewhat disappointing so far, and although yields are still good in comparison to historical averages, it does not look like we will see the same positive yields we had last year in this area. Many believe that the later maturing varieties hold more promise. 

I am optimistic on the corn yield potential. One thing that looks to be certain throughout my territory is much higher harvest moisture than we have seen for the past few years. Very good (hot and windy) late-season growing conditions can still help dry down this crop considerably in the field; but with most of the crop not reaching black layer (full maturity) until recently, it would take extreme conditions to prevent significant commercial and on-farm drying this year. 

There is a lot of uncertainty in my area surrounding leasing for the 2009 growing season. Input prices, specifically commercial fertilizer, seed, and herbicide, have gone up exponentially over the last couple years and commodity prices remain extremely volatile. That being said, cash rent values look to be up significantly again for 2009 with strong demand from operators looking to add additional acres to their portfolio.  

Land prices continue to be very strong in my area with high-quality land in great demand. A recent Farmers National Company auction set a new high of $7,150 per acre for Clay County, Iowa. We have started to see more variability recently, but land sales utilizing the auction process continue to bring a premium versus all other sale methods, especially on good farms. Please feel free to contact Travis Johnson, AFM, at (712) 337-3387 for additional information or email tjohnson@farmersnational.com.   

Southwest Kansas and Oklahoma Panhandle: Accredited Farm Manager Cole Owens in our Garden City, Kansas office reports: This past year, land prices have been strong with outside investors playing a significant role in large transactions. Fall harvest is just starting with near normal yields expected on irrigated and well below average yields expected on dryland crops due to drought conditions this summer. In most of my area, fall rains have provided adequate soil moisture for wheat planting.  

Please contact Cole Owens, AFM, at (620) 276-4424 for additional details or email cowens@farmersnational.com.  

Indiana: Farm Manager Steve Lankford in our Sullivan, Indiana office reports: Harvest has just started in southwest Indiana and southeastern Illinois. The yields are all over the board. I have farms with 40-45 bushel soybeans and a few reporting yields of 55-60. Very little corn has been harvested, but I have one operator with slightly over 200 bushel on the first field. These are from farms which were fortunate to have not been flooded and received adequate rain during August. Otherwise, the late planted or re-planted soybeans are very susceptible to frost and the August dry weather took its toll on yield potential.  

Please contact Steve Lankford, Farm Manager, at (812) 876-7612 for additional details or email slankford@farmersnational.com.  

For information about your specific area, please contact Jerry Warner, Lee Vermeer, or Jim Farrell toll free at 1-800-346-2650. 

Real Estate & Auction News 

Kansas Ranch Auction Scheduled! 

Native type grassland, some farmland, CRP, and native wildlife. 

On Friday, November 21 Farmers National Company will be offering at auction 5,600+ acres of Hodgeman County, Kansas ranchland located southeast of Jetmore, Kansas. The ranch offers a high percentage of native grassland, some cropland and CRP. It will be offered in 10 tracts for bidding with possession at closing. 

The live auction gets underway at 10 A.M. at the King Center in Jetmore. 

For complete auction details or a copy of the color auction brochure call today: Monty Smith, Agent, (785) 650-0599 or Monty Meusch, Auctioneer at (402) 496-3276 or click here for further details on our website. 

We hope to see you at the auction! 

Western Nebraska
Ranch For Sale 

11,040+ Acres,
The Wagon Box Ranch 

The Wagon Box Ranch is a secluded oasis with rocky canyons and tree lined bluffs that provide an amazing glimpse of an exciting and challenging time in our history and are so calming that you can almost see the unsuspecting buffalo grazing as an Indian hunting party waits nearby.  

Since 1970 the Wagon Box Ranch has been home to a fully operational natural beef and organic grain operation with modern facilities and late model irrigation equipment. The present owner has called this ranch home for thirty-eight years and pride of ownership is evident. 

There are 800+ acres of irrigated land on the ranch distributed through six late model pivot systems. Irrigation water is provided through six wells. An extensive waterline system with miles of underground pipeline crosses the ranch connecting wells to pasture water tanks.  

The Wagon Box Ranch lies within Banner, Cheyenne, and Morrill Counties, Nebraska, with county gravel roads from three directions providing easy access to the ranch.  

Driving through the Wagon Box Ranch gives one the feeling of driving through a well-managed state park more than an operating ranch as elk, deer, turkey, and pheasant cross your path. For additional information contact Jay Johnson, (308) 762-3155 or Paul Schadegg, (308) 254-2826. 

Would you like to Know About New Land Listings and Upcoming Auctions in Your Area? 

Farmers National Company would like to provide you with the most current information available by e-mail on new FNC land listings, real estate auctions and land trade news at no cost or obligation from you. Just click on the link below and provide us with your name, address, and e-mail. Please indicate what states you are interested in receiving information about in the "Comments" box.  

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