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Illinois farmers own 24% of the land they farm

A new study from Illinois Farm Business Farm Management (FBFM) shows the state’s farmers only owned 24% of the land they farmed in 2021.

Brad Zwilling, vice president of data analysis at FBFM, says it’s not a new trend.

“Crop share was at 27% and cash rent at 48%,” he says.  “That trend has continued to increase on the cash rented side and lower on the crop shared side primarily due to more and more absentee landlords or just wanting to not have to worry about marketing grain.”

The study summarized data from Illinois farms which receive most of their farming income from grain operations, farm at least 500 acres, and are enrolled in FBFM. 

Zwilling tells Brownfield the divide between crop share leases and cash rent leases has been growing since 2006.

“And you know, that’s when we start seeing land values increase as well.”  He says, “This study looks at the last five years when we saw cash rent go from 45% to 48% during that period time. So, three percent in five years.”

He says the data also shows regional differences.

“In Northern Illinois, on average 66% of a farmer’s ground is cash rented versus when you look at central Illinois, it’s only about 48%.”  He says, “And in southern Illinois it’s 42%. So that’s one of the more surprising things is how much they differ to what part of state you’re in.”

Zwilling says an economic analysis of the data showed farmers who owned less land and crop shared more acres to be the most profitable.

AUDIO: Brad Zwilling – Illinois FBFM