Leasing Farm Land to Potato Farmer

Big Shooter · Mar 27, 2021

Does anyone know about leasing farm land to a potato farmer, I was approached and asked if I was interested in leasing my farm land (aprox 100 acres). Original long term plan was to plant fields with trees but the deal seems to good to be true. I am not a farmer but the fields are currently just for hay

SD51555 · Mar 27, 2021

Do you have or intend to have a well around there?

Big Shooter · Mar 27, 2021

From the sounds of it the company leasing the land would take care of all irrigation needs.

crowskee · Mar 28, 2021

I think what SD is getting at is the possibility of well water contamination from the potato farming.

BigJ · Mar 28, 2021

I would do some research. From what I understand commercial potato production uses some pretty nasty chemicals

Barndog56 · Mar 28, 2021

Potato farms near me use both insecticides and herbicides during the growing season, some of which are applied by a crop-dusting plane. I'm assuming just the insecticide is applied by plane, but they don't border my land so I have no info on possible drift damage.

They don't use cover crops here and till the crap out of it, so lots of topsoil blows away in the spring while they're working it. They irrigate every day because the soil can't hold any water.

Here the potatoes are in a rotation along with peas, green beans, cabbage, and sweet corn. They must make a killing as the ones around here have a ton of acres, and the owners have huge, fancy houses.

I'd make sure you know the exact details of the farming practices he intends to use before signing.

SD51555 · Mar 28, 2021

It could all be quackery, or it might not be. When it comes to air I breathe and water I drink, I get pretty environmental. I wish this kind of stuff was done in Iowa and not so close to places where people and wildlife live. Nitrates are an easy one, because municipalities test for it. It's the stuff they don't test for that should concern someone.