It is important to consider how and when a farmland lease may end.  State law provides default rules for termination in the event that a landlord and tenant fail to discuss and document this topic.

Like any contract, a lease is a package deal. Landlords and tenants should carefully consider all of the terms offered by the other party before making a decision. 

Under Wisconsin law, a “lease” means an agreement, whether oral or written, for transfer of possession of real property, or both real and personal property, for a definite period of time. These leases are also a type of contract, so principles of contract law apply too.

Every five years the USDA undertakes a detailed inventory of farming operations across the country. The most recent 2022 Census of Agriculture provides a snapshot of the nation’s farming economy, including demographics, production practices, land use, and economic trends.

This report provides a statewide overview of agricultural land values across Wisconsin based on a statistical analysis of actual sales and now includes the weighted average price of agricultural land sold in Wisconsin.