BROOKINGS — South Dakota State University Extension will host an informational session for agricultural land owners who don’t farm the land themselves.

The South Dakota Non-Farming Landowner Information Session is from 10 a.m. to noon on Aug. 31 online via Zoom. Registration is required, and tickets are $30 per person. To register, visit the SDSU Extension Events page and search “landowner.”

This webinar will provide non-farming landowners with information on South Dakota agricultural land market trends, updates on the U.S. Census of Agriculture and current agricultural economy, land leases, land management decisions and conservation changes.

According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, 41.73% of South Dakota agricultural land is rented or leased. Navigating lease and rental agreements can be challenging, particularly for those who own land in South Dakota but live in another state.

Thi Yen Hoanh Le, SDSU Extension economics research field specialist, said this session is especially geared toward those out-of-state landowners. One of the key things she will highlight during the session is the SDSU Extension Farm Real Estate Market Survey and how that report can help landowners make informed decisions.

“We want to provide them with information,” Le said. “I can’t tell them how much they should charge their tenants, but I can say 'Here is the average in that region and the land market trends in the last 12 months.'"

The detailed survey reports the average value for different types of agricultural land — non-irrigated cropland versus pasture, for example — across the entire state. Le said the survey is just a starting point, and emphasized that each piece of land has its own variables to consider — location, soil quality, availability of water, etc.

Things like hunting rights, upkeep and maintenance also need to be negotiated in rental agreements. And as new generations take over, leases may need to be re-examined.

“Maybe Mom and Dad have always had an oral lease, but now more people are involved and would like to have something formally on paper,” said Heather Gessner, SDSU Extension livestock business management field specialist. “Having some of those early conversations is really important.”

Gessner and Le will also talk landowners through government programs and conservation resources that may be available to them.

For more information, contact Le at 605-688-4141 or Gessner at 605-782-3290.