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Compeer appraiser: today’s farmland buyers are showing more discipline

A certified appraiser with Compeer Financial says many farmers are being more selective about buying farmland.

Brent Wiest tells Brownfield buyer behavior has changed.

“There’s still farmers and investors buying farmland, and there’s still competitive sales for high-quality properties. But they’re acting more disciplined than they were during the strongest parts of the market.”

And he says prospective buyers are paying closer attention to the characteristics of the land, like productivity, drainage, and how it fits into an operation.

“In the strongest market years, broad momentum helped almost everything. Today, the property has to carry more of the value on its own.”

He says the farmland market is still functioning, but buyers are no longer giving every property the same benefit of the doubt like before.

Wiest made these comments during a Compeer Financial Appraisal podcast, a content partnership with Brownfield.