2024 Farmland Values

By Steve Isaacs | Extension Professor
Published on Aug. 29, 2024

According to USDA estimates from their annual Land Values Summary, Kentucky’s average Farm Real Estate Values increased 7.5% in 2024 to $5,300/acre, up from $4,930 in 2023. Figure 1 is a comparison of Kentucky land values with the national trend since 2000.

Capital Investment Analysis

By Steve Isaacs | Extension Professor
Published on Nov. 29, 2023

Several years ago, a farmer I knew fairly well gave me a call. He was considering an investment in some new haying equipment and wanted to pick my brain, a task that usually doesn’t take very long. This is a good farmer. He grows high-yielding, high-quality crops and cattle.

Beef Enterprise Budgets

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor, Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor, and Steve Isaacs | Extension Professor
Published on Nov. 1, 2023

This publication contains budgets for production of selected livestock enterprises in Kentucky. The purpose of these budgets is to serve as a management and decision-making guide for current and prospective producers of these enterprises. 

2023 Farmland Values

By Steve Isaacs | Extension Professor
Published on Sep. 8, 2023

Each August the USDA releases the results of their survey of farmland values. The survey includes data from approximately 9,000 tracts of land of about one square mile each across the continental United States.

An INFORMATION System

By Steve Isaacs | Extension Professor
Published on Jul. 28, 2023

Recordkeeping. Root canals. Airline seats. Kidney stones. Boring relatives. Wet dogs None of them are pleasant. Some should be avoided. Some of them are pretty important though. Keeping records for the farm business, for instance. Not pleasant (usually) but certainly important.

The PRIMER Method

By Steve Isaacs | Extension Professor
Published on May. 30, 2023

The calls or emails start with, “I’m thinking about trying….” and end sometime later with, “What do you think?” For three decades I’ve fielded many of these inquiries. Extension agents get them with incredible frequency.

More with Less…. Really?

By Steve Isaacs | Extension Professor
Published on Nov. 29, 2022

We’ve all heard it. Budgets are tight. Profits are down. Vacancies are not filled. People are laid off. So… those who are left have to do their own jobs… and the jobs of those who aren’t here… and we’re going to do MORE? REALLY?

2022 Farmland Values

By Steve Isaacs | Extension Professor
Published on Sep. 29, 2022

Kentucky’s farm real estate values increased 8.8% according to the annual Land Values Summary released by USDA in August. Average real estate value in the Commonwealth increased to $4,350 per acre, up from the $4,000 per acre reported in 2021.

Circle of Concern and Circle of Influence

By Steve Isaacs | Extension Professor
Published on Jun. 30, 2022

IFMA 23, the biannual congress of the International Farm Management Association was held in Copenhagen, Denmark in late June.

The Cost of a Bad Hire

By Steve Isaacs | Extension Professor
Published on May. 31, 2022

Desperate times often require desperate actions, and no time seems more desperate than when the needs are great, time is limited, and labor is short. You need help and you need it now! Add the competition from $15-18/hr service sector wages to the mix and the situation seems almost hopeless.