Sioux County Farmland Auction Shatters Iowa Record at $32,000 Per Acre

Dec 04, 2025
By Farms.com

Small Iowa Farm sets new benchmark for premium farmland

Farmland values in Iowa reached a new milestone as Zomer Company Realty & Auction facilitated a record-breaking sale in Sioux County. The 35.5-acre tract, featuring 22 tillable acres and a higher-than-average CSR2 soil rating, sold for an astonishing $32,000 per acre on behalf of seller Audrey J. Gesink.

This sale surpasses the previous Sioux County record of $30,000 per acre set in November 2022, reaffirming the strong demand for premium agricultural land—even as broader market conditions show signs of cooling.

It was a small parcel of land, but record-breaking nonetheless.

Market Context
Throughout 2025, U.S. farm real estate values continued their upward trajectory, though at a slower pace compared to previous years. According to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), agricultural real estate values rose by 4.3%, or $180 per acre, bringing the national average to $4,350 per acre.

This marks the fifth consecutive annual increase, following a 5% rise between 2023 and 2024.

Cash rent values for cropland also hit a record $161 per acre, while pastureland rents held steady at $16 per acre. However, higher interest rates and weaker commodity prices have tempered buyer aggressiveness, signaling a more cautious market overall.

Despite these headwinds, the Sioux County auction demonstrates that quality farmland remains a prized asset. Strong soil ratings, location advantages, and long-term value continue to drive competitive bidding among farmer-buyers.

As the agricultural sector navigates shifting economic conditions, this record-breaking sale serves as a reminder: premium farmland commands premium prices.

Photo Credit: USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service

Video: Spring 2026 weather outlook for Wisconsin; What an early-arriving El Niño could mean

Northeast Wisconsin is a small corner of the world, but our weather is still affected by what happens across the globe.

That includes in the equatorial Pacific, where changes between El Niño and La Niña play a role in the weather here -- and boy, have there been some abrupt changes as of late.

El Niño and La Niña are the two phases of what is collectively known as the El Niño Southern Oscillation, or ENSO for short. These are the swings back and forth from unusually warm to unusually cold sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean along the equator.

Since this past September, we have been in a weak La Niña, which means water temperatures near the Eastern Pacific equator have been cooler than usual. That's where we're at right now.

Even last fall, the long-term outlook suggested a return to neutral conditions by spring and potentially El Niño conditions by summer.

But there are some signs this may be happening faster than usual, which could accelerate the onset of El Niño.

Over the last few weeks, unusually strong bursts of westerly winds farther west in the Pacific -- where sea surface temperatures are warmer than average -- have been observed. There is a chance that this could accelerate the warming of those eastern Pacific waters and potentially push us into El Niño sooner than usual.

If we do enter El Nino by spring -- which we'll define as the period of March, April and May -- there are some long-term correlations with our weather here in Northeast Wisconsin.

Looking at a map of anomalously warm weather, most of the upper Great Lakes doesn't show a strong correlation, but in general, the northern tiers of the United States do tend to lean to that direction.

The stronger correlation is with precipitation. El Niño conditions in spring have historically come with a higher risk of very dry weather over that time frame, so this will definitely be a transition we'll have to watch closely as we move out of winter.