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Factors Affecting Farmland Markets. The Changing Landscape of Ag Banking in Illinois IBA Ag Banking Conference Sept. 7-8, 2006 – Springfield Illinois. Bruce J. Sherrick University of Illinois. visit us at: http://www.farmdoc.uiuc.edu/. Outline:. Background, Ag B/S and Lender Shares
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Factors Affecting Farmland Markets The Changing Landscape of Ag Banking in IllinoisIBA Ag Banking ConferenceSept. 7-8, 2006 – Springfield Illinois Bruce J. Sherrick University of Illinois visit us at:http://www.farmdoc.uiuc.edu/
Outline: • Background, Ag B/S and Lender Shares • Valuation and Income info – how linked? • Investment performance of farmland • Illinois land market updated survey information: who, why, what and how… • Contemporary issues for farmland markets
U.S. Ag Sector Balance Sheet summary US Totals, source USDA
Ag Sector Balance Sheet - keys • Farmland represents 83.5% of farm assets and about 56% of farm debt (8/2006) • Low aggregate leverage relative to other sectors (currently approx. 13.1% ag. D/A and shrinking slowly) • Some shifting among debt providers, little shift between debt and equity • Active equity market absence
History repeated… again “We have two great sources of profit in farming: first, rise in the value of the land; and second, profit on the production of farm crops. The first has been the chief source.” “Illinois farmland will only experience about 4-5% average appreciation in 2005” -Bruce Sherrick, 2004 - George Morrow, 1886 “I was wrong. Again.” -Bruce Sherrick, 2004, 2005, 2006, etc.
Illinois Farmland Markets… cont. compounded increase of 5.7% per year 1970-2006
Factors affecting farmland values • Thin Markets – highly inelastic local demand • Performance relative to other investments • Composition of returns changing (farming, vs. recreation, development and 1031 influence) • Recent income levels, interest rates • Changing lease markets, absentee ownership
Farmland Turnover -- Illinois • Thin – average of under 1% annual sales, arm’s length, available competitively, actual farmland intended usage • limited option to expand with contiguous/proximate land through purchase • increases importance of lease markets in value determination • “lumpy” land sales relative to leasing …leads to some exceptional localized events and difficulty in assessing “average” value
History of Farmland Returns as Investment • Long progression of capital gains, one period of losses – data period important when assessing performance • Capital Gains Rates (annual geometric): • 1950-2000: 5.6% • 1970-2000: 5.7% • 1980-2000: 2.0% • 1970-2006 Q2: 5.7% (est.) • 2004-2005 Illinois average increase 28% (USDA) • 2005-2006 Illinois forecast increase 15% (USDA) • Plus: current income in 3-5% range from rent/operations
Farmland as an investment • Academic research shows: • Low systematic risk – behaves much like a fixed income financial asset • High or adequate returns given risk counter to premise of many debates on “low returns” • Role as inflation hedge (positive correlation) • Market friction caveats, explanations • Portfolio models favor inclusion of farmland in investment portfolios – to greater degree than observed in reality
So what drives the Farmland market? • Within Illinois, considerable risk differences, esp. North to South • Risk-adjustment within class? • cash rent series by county (FBFM) • cash gross returns by county (farmdoc) • test fraction of expected return paid in form of cash rent • Strong evidence of within-class response
Farmland as an investment • Traditional Capitalization arguments: considerable difference in rent and productivity lead to…..
Farmland as an investment • Nothing much in aggregate….Swamped by other effects • So, U of I Study of factors influencing farmland values finds following significant items (Huang, Sherrick, Miller, Gomez, 2006) • Size of tract (-) • SPR (+++) • Distance to Chicago (++) • Distance to metro location (++) • Ruralness indicators (--) • CPI (++) • Population (+) • Income (+) • Livestock activities (+/-)
ISPFMRA 2005-2006 Land Value Trends
Attributes of buyers include … • 56% of buyers used 1031 exchange funds - 2005 • up from 48% year prior, down first half of 2006. • 62% of buyers did not use debt capital • increase of 10% from year prior
Contemporary Issues: • Role of government (payments average 24% of income, 32% pre-, regulation, and changing program design and emphasis) • Energy Bill or Farm Bill? Food v. Farm programs? • Property Tax Updates • Term Structure impacts • What’s on the “Horizon” with competition • Basel II and other badly kept secrets
Questions/Comments? Thanks! visit farmdoc on the web at:http://www.farmdoc.uiuc.edu/