Lease of field for cattle or hay.

[k4hal]

I am buying a 30 acre pasture that until a few weeks ago had cattle on it. Since I wont be doing anything with the property soon, I would like to lease it out for either cattle or hay. Since I have never done this before, I would like to hear from others who have done this and what pitfalls to look out for.
What kind of contract if any; who does the field maint such as fertilizing and planting; who keeps the fences; insurance, etc.
Thanks

Henry

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I would think that each and all of those things would be a matter of negotiation and contractural agreement. The one thing I would suggest is that you make certain that you have some type of insurance coverage over and above what they have even if your contract provides that they should fully indemnify and hold you harmless from and and all claims, torts and assertions. You don't want to be exposed because they forgot to pay a premium and some drunken trespassing hunter trips and shoots his face off and then looks for someone to blame. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Good luck with whatever you decide. I hope this helps. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Not all hunting accidents are because the hunters are drunk. That comment was not appropriate. It would be like me saying all people who ride motorcycles are criminals and must belong to a gang. Don't sterotype please.

As for the field question, around here farmers who lease fields will pay around $5- $10 an acre. It is up to them to maintain the fields as if they want a good crop of hay they need to put money into it. However, if they plan to invest a lot into the field they may want to get some type of papers wrote up to prevent you from selling to hay to someone else after they put a lot of money in it. Most of these deals are just a handshake deal though and rely on trust instead of paper.

 

[Airedale]

Drunken trespassing hunters? Sorry but I have been a hunter my whole life and know many others that hunt. I certainly don't hunt in a drunken state and don't know a single person that does, nor have I ever heard of one instance of a "drunken hunter trespassing and tripping and shooting his face off."

 

[unaka]

Where you live has a lot do do with the answer to your question. These days, around here there's a lot more hay fields than hay cutters. Each year another farmer decides to hang it up and it's created a situation where most property owners simply let the farmers hay their fields for free just to keep them maintained. It's cheaper than paying someone to bushhog twice a year. I've got people begging me to hay their fields right now and I won't be able to get to all of them. You should talk to the local farmers in your area. You can find out more about your local situation and maybe even meet some nice neighbors.

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> I've got people begging me to hay their fields right now and I won't be able to get to all of them. </font>
The person we buy hay from is in a similar situation. He's run into 2 problems;

1. He has no idea how the field has been maintained and he's broken equipment, particularly on fields that have been fallow for a while. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

2. People who have accused him of shorting them on the number of bales he got off the field.
/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[SPIKER]

there is similar problems around here. lots of empty fields as the farms are broken up into tracks, and no one can get anything done. best bet it is try and find the guy who leased it for the cattle and see if he still wants it to lease for a while...

make sure if you DO lease it you can still have access but also protect the farmer. keep insurance on it as vacant land and such as mentioned above. also be aware that if no one wants to take it for farm production you may end up losing farming status and have to pay a bunch of back taxes!!! check what it was in before as CAUV or what. Otherwise get in contact with the local Farm Beuro for some free advice and possably find soemone close enough wanting to rent a field...


I know by esperiance that tax abatement can bite you in the rear if you are not carefull! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif Once OUT of the program it can be 3 or 4 times harder to get back in because the county wants that $$$ for un-used property. (here they tax you ate a higher rate than if it was developed one reason all the small farmers are selling it all off as lots!> good grief then the state is trying to buy the rights to the property and force it to stay as a farm... which is one way a real farmer can make a few bucks but also screws the developers that buys the farm next door hoping to be able to expand the city even farther... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Alan L.]

I didn't see anything wrong in the post. He was just giving an example of what could happen in todays litigious society. I didn't see an stereotype there.

After all, there is such a thing as a drunken hunter falling and shooting his face off. Doesn't mean all hunters are drunks, but why else would a guy be trespassing unless he was hunting?

 

[DUMBDOG]

I do see a problem with your example, there are no trespassers except hunters.

Over the years I have seen a lot of people on the property of someone else, yes they were trespassing, but they were not hunting. Some were out for a walk, not realizing that they were not supposed to be there, some were bird watching, some were lost, but not one was hunting.

There seems to be somewhat of a anti hunting bias to some of the posts here.

Most of the hunters out there do not trespass, some do not drink, and most do not fall down and shoot their face off, however accidents can happen, not due to drinking and trespassing.

To make the point that just because someone is trespassing, that the person is a hunter is asinine.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Hunters are constantly being portrayed as drunk idiots who have no respect for people, animals or property. The example given by Gary was just another way of saying hunters are idiots. If people do not like hunting then that is fine but do not put hunters in a bad light because of their belief. The chances of someone sueing someone for being injured is much more likely to be by a non hunter. Kids like to trespass and what happens now when some kid cuts thru your land and falls in a hole you were digging with your tractor and breaks a leg. His parents will sue you for some stupid reason like not having the hole marked out properly on your own land. This is a much more likely scenerio then a drunken hunter falling and shooting someones face off. If you were a hunter you would understand the sterotype and try to inform people that it is wrong. I have never ran into a drunk hunter in my life. Any hunter that goes hunting to drink usually never leaves their little cabin as all hunting is to them is a way to get away from their houses for a camping trip. Also, I have known one person who was shot by a hunter. The reason was the hunter did not identify what he was shooting at and almost killed a fisherman who had some brush between him and the hunter. The hunter was not drunk nor was he trespassing on any land.

 

[twabscs]

Henry,

You need to let us know where you're located as that may help with your question. Here in Missouri, the rate for pasture / hay ground is $25-$40 / acre. I have one farm that has a good stand of alfalfa / orchard grass that gets $40 and acre. I'm responsible for the lime, he's responsible for most everything else.

I have a neighbor that lets a local farmer have his hay (to cut his fields), but this is because he didn't realize that he could actually make a little money with a little more effort.

State Farm has a simple farm policy that covers liability for renting farms and I pay $50 / year for up to 500 acres.

 

[EastTexFrank]

I think we are all being too sensitive about what was a "throw away" remark about hunters. Let it lie and move on.

Talk to the guy who had it rented previously. He still may want to rent. Negotiate fertillizing, cutting, fence mending and the number of head to be run on the 30 acres with any potential renter. I've seen pasture turned to mud/dust holes by renters putting too many cows on a pasture or using it as a "cow motel" for animals on the way to market and it takes a long time for it to recover. When I was in this position a few years ago, I rented it out for $1/acre and all fertiilizing and maintenance just to keep the land in use and looked after. You don't want to lose any ag exemption you have because that'll hit your pocket pretty hard and it's a pain to get back.

If insurance only costs $50 a year, get it.

 

[twabscs]

EastTex is right. Be careful when renting it out as "pasture" for cattle. You'll have additional issues to deal with. I turned down $50/acre for cattle pasture and opted for the $40/acre hay. No need to worry about cattle getting out, fencing upkeep, flies, etc. I don't have anything against cattle, but when renting, cattle can do alot more damage than hay (especially to ponds/lakes). You really need to know/trust the individual when renting your ground as pasture.

In reality, though, pasture is a more effective use of the land. Why take the grass to the cattle when you can bring the cattle to the grass. Much less fertilizer needed as well.

 

[Alan L.]

Dumbdog. Well I give up. With PC, just about anything you say is misconstrued. Forget I posted anything.....

 

[DUMBDOG]

Back to the business of leasing out the land, the important thing is to have insurance to protect your assets from litigation for whatever may occur. Personally, I do not have to worry as I have insurance on my insurance and the only worry is to be able to pay the premiums and the taxes.