Study Finds Most Iowa Farmland Is Debt-Free

(Ames, IA) — A study finds 80-percent of Iowa farmland is owned debt-free. Researchers behind this Iowa State University study credit recent higher commodity prices and government payments that helped clear debt, especially for older farmers. The study says younger farmers still rely heavily on bank loans. The study also finds the average age of an Iowa farmland owner is around 70. The average age of a farmer who’s actively farming is around 60.