According to the recently released 2008 Iowa State University annual land survey, Iowa farmland values increased for the ninth consecutive year. Iowa farmland values rose 14 percent to an average of nearly $4,500 an acre.
In today's economic landscape, Iowa farmland is one of the best available investment opportunities in comparison to the stock market, gold and other investments.
Iowa landowners should protect their investment in Iowa's soil and water as wisely as possible. The value of Iowa farmland is tied to several items, but one of the most important factors is the quality of the soil. The higher the quality of the soil, the higher the value of the land.
Certain conservation practices such as no-till, cover crops and crop rotations help improve the quality of the soil. Other practices, such as contour farming, strip cropping, contour buffer strips and grassed waterways, help keep soil in place and prevent erosion from damaging its quality.
As the state conservationist of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, I am just one member of an agency that employs technical experts in every county to help people help the land and protect their investments both financially and environmentally.
-Richard Sims, Des Moines
