Peoples Perspective

Please join Peoples Company for a Landowner Insights webinar where Dr. Dave Muth will help farmland owners analyze how these trends will impact asset values and examine the opportunities these new policies create for value-added management practices.

The energy sector is undergoing a transformative period marked by significant investments in renewable energy alongside continued robust investment in oil and gas. Understanding these investment trends is critical for stakeholders, policymakers, and the public, as they shape the future of energy supply, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.

As the global population is projected to reach nearly 9.8 billion by 2050, the demand for agricultural products will surge, challenging current farming practices to be more sustainable and less environmentally damaging. This blog explores the crucial role of fertilizers, their impacts, and how regenerative agricultural practices offer a sustainable path forward.

The benefits of cover crops have long been celebrated in the agriculture community. Hailed as unsung heroes, they are known to prevent erosion, improve soil structure, and suppress weeds. Grazing cover crops is simply the next logical chapter in the regenerative saga. Soil enthusiasts champion this natural method of maintaining soil fertility, likening it to nature's own recycling program.

Farmland owners face several challenges to ownership related to utility companies, pipeline companies, highways, and others who need to acquire property for a potential new corridor through their land. There are increasing demands for power and energy sources which is leading to increased demands from agencies needing to acquire land. It is important for landowners and companies that need to acquire a corridor to understand the process of completing appraisals for eminent domain purposes.

As inflation rates continue to rise in the United States, investors have renewed interest in alternative investment opportunities that can outperform traditional asset classes without sacrificing stability. In 2021, The Land Report named Bill Gates as the top private farmland owner in America, since then investors of all sizes and backgrounds have flocked to the agricultural sector.

Wind and solar energy get significant attention as key renewable energy sources as the country diversifies from fossil fuels. Just as significant is the biofuels sector, where ongoing plant breeding research aims to increase yield and enhance production sustainability for biofuel feedstock.

The appraisal team at Peoples Company was able to track 37 tracts or 3,711 acres sold at public auction in Iowa during May 2024. The average dollar per acre was $11,238, the average dollar per tillable acre was $12,604, and the average dollar per CSR2 was $165.

For the May webinar in the Landowner Insights series, Peoples Company's Dr. Dave Muth characterizes the net zero economy impact on farmland returns.

When assessing new management farms, Peoples Company Land Managers seek to build farm-specific action plans to address each landowner’s goals, increasing long-term appreciation and maximizing annual cash yield.