Marking the second consecutive year of value declines, the all-land category across the entire State of Nebraska for the year ending February 1, 2016 averaged about 4 percent lower than the prior year.
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Highlights
Changes in the value of the all-land category across the entire state of Nebraska for the year ending February 1, 2016, averaged a slight decline of about 4 percent. The figure below summarizes these averages along with the percent changes over last year's all-land average for the eight regions of the State.
Average Value of Nebraska Farmland, February 1, 2016 and Percent Change From Year EarlierDetailed region map
- The state wide all-land average value for the year ending February 1, 2016, averaged $3,115 per acre equating to approximately 4 percent ($135 per acre) decline over last year’s value of $3,250 per acre.
- Declines in the all-land average varied across Nebraska. The Northwest, North, Central, Southwest, and Southeast Districts averaged around 5 percent lower, whereas the Northeast, East, and Southwest declined at 3, 2, and 8 percent, respectively.
- Panel members indicated purchases for farm expansion and 1031 tax exchanges as the two most positive factors influencing land value increases, but these factors were noted as only being slightly higher than neutral. General expectations among panel members weakened for future increases in land value.
- Current crop prices once again were listed as the most negative factor for the second year in a row by panel members leading to the decline in land values across Nebraska. Additional concern amongst panel members indicated property taxes may have a negative bearing on the value of agricultural land, depending upon future policies.
- Based on 2016 market values, the estimated total value of agricultural land and buildings in Nebraska has declined to $132.0 billion. Between 2015 and 2016, the decline in agricultural land and building values totaled about $5.8 billion.
| Type of Land | Northwest | North | Northeast | Central | East | Southwest | South | Southeast | Statec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dryland Cropland (No Irrigation Potential) | |||||||||
| $/acre | 745 | 1,650 | 5,760 | 3,235 | 6,360 | 1,955 | 3,575 | 4,845 | 3,470 |
| % change | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 7 | -4 | 2 |
| Dryland Cropland (Irrigation Potential) | |||||||||
| $/acre | 790 | 2,150 | 6,715 | 3,850 | 7,165 | 1,815 | 4,315 | 6,450 | 4,785 |
| % change | 6 | -6 | -5 | -6 | -2 | -7 | -4 | -7 | -5 |
| Grazing Land (Tillable) | |||||||||
| $/acre | 565 | 1,325 | 3,955 | 2,460 | 4,370 | 1,070 | 2,240 | 3,200 | 1,495 |
| % change | 6 | -5 | 7 | -6 | 4 | -6 | -5 | 5 | -1 |
| Grazing Land (Nontillable) | |||||||||
| $/acre | 480 | 740 | 2,475 | 1,925 | 2,795 | 915 | 1,690 | 2,205 | 975 |
| % change | -2 | -1 | -4 | -5 | -7 | -3 | -7 | -3 | -3 |
| Hayland | |||||||||
| $/acre | 890 | 1,460 | 3,430 | 2,585 | 3,200 | 1,700 | 2,340 | 2,780 | 1,965 |
| % change | -20 | -23 | -6 | -11 | -22 | -13 | -21 | -10 | -17 |
| Gravity Irrigated Cropland | |||||||||
| $/acre | 2,970 | 3,970 | 7,220 | 6,560 | 8,115 | 4,390 | 6,265 | 7,375 | 6,480 |
| % change | -8 | -4 | -2 | -5 | -4 | -1 | -12 | -8 | -6 |
| Center Pivot Irrigated Croplandb | |||||||||
| $/acre | 3,290 | 4,350 | 7,880 | 7,530 | 9,410 | 5,330 | 7,240 | 9,185 | 6,940 |
| % change | -9 | -10 | -3 | -4 | -2 | -8 | -12 | -3 | -5 |
| All Land Averagec | |||||||||
| $/acre | 820 | 1,245 | 5,980 | 3,780 | 6,990 | 1,960 | 4,255 | 5,675 | 3,115 |
| % change | -5 | -6 | -3 | -4 | -2 | -5 | -8 | -5 | -4 |
b Value of pivot not included in per-acre value.
c Weighted averages.
- The Nebraska all land average price of $3,115 per acre marks a 4 percent decline and the second consecutive year of lower weighted average farmland values in the state as commodity prices for crops and livestock continued trending lower from record setting levels.
- Declines in cropland generally trended lower across the state. Gravity and center pivot irrigated cropland trended lower at $6,480 and $6,940 per acre for declines of 6 and 5 percent. Dryland cropland with irrigation potential also fell 5 percent to an average of $4,785 per acre, but dryland cropland without irrigation potential recorded a slight uptick of 2 percent to $3,470 per acre.
- Hayland used for forage production recorded the highest rate of decline for 2016 at 17 percent. Compounding effects from the drought of 2012 for forages led to increased demand for hayland with record-setting hay prices. Adequate precipitation and lower hay prices in 2015 resulted in lower hayland values seen across the major cow-calf producing regions of the state including the Northwest and North.
- Demand for pasture or rangeland slightly receded as grazing land (nontillable) declined 3 percent to $975 per acre, whereas grazing land (tillable) dropped 1 percent to $1,495 per acre. The rate of change for these two land types greatly varied across the districts ranging from a negative 7 to a positive 7 percent.
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