Factoring Soil Health into Farmland Valuation: Lessons from a Proof-of-Concept Appraisal Approach
Soil conservation practices (e.g., no-till and cover crops) build soil health, but risk and upfront costs deter some farmers. If soil health can be valued by appraisers and leveraged in farm financing, then some farmers may be more likely to adopt soil conservation practices. However, no appraisal approaches exist to empirically assess the value ($/acre) of soil health. Therefore, since 2022, Delta Institute has partnered with Accredited Rural Appraisers in Illinois and Michigan to develop a proof-of-concept appraisal approach, which uses a novel "Soil Health Index" to measure a subject property’s relative soil health to regional benchmarks. This webinar will outline the basic approach and provide lessons learned from pilot programs in both Illinois and Michigan.
Douglas Hodge, ARA, MAI, has been involved in the valuation of agricultural assets since 1983 and has prepared appraisal reports and appraisal reviews globally. Doug graduated from Ferris State University in 1983 with a BS – Finance with a concentration in real estate. He formerly held the position of VP – Chief Appraiser at International Farming Corporation where he was responsible for valuation of farmland investments and appraisal review for the global agricultural assets held by IFC. He also held the position of VP of Appraisal Services for Nuveen Global Asset Management and Sr. Director for TIAA-CREF and was responsible for the appraisal review of Nuveen/TIAA’s global agricultural portfolio. Prior to joining Nuveen, he was the regional appraisal manager for the eastern US for Farmers National Co. Before joining FNC in 2007, he owned his own valuation firm in Lapeer, Michigan. He is currently a certified general appraiser in Michigan. Doug has served recently as the District III VP for the American Society 5 of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA) and is the current immediate past president of ASFMRA and has held other positions with ASFMRA and the Great Lakes Chapter of the Appraisal Institute. Doug and his wife June own and operate an organic flour mill and farm in Lapeer, Michigan.
Lucas Chamberlain, M.S., is a Senior Specialist with Delta Institute, a soil ecologist, and a former farm manager. His peer-reviewed research has been published in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. Lucas is a member of the IL Sustainable Agriculture Partnership’s Soil Health Leadership Program, the Soil and Water Conservation Society, and the Soil Science Society of America.
Gillian Chesnut, M.S., is a Senior Associate with Delta Institute, graduate from The Ohio State University, and a 2026 Soil and Water Conservation Society Emerging Leader. Her agricultural experience includes expertise in GIS mapping and data analysis as well as coursework in agribusiness and supply chain economics.
Note: A Zoom Webinar invitation will be sent to registrants prior to the event. If you have not received an invitation link within 24 hours of the event, please contact Laura Anderson at landerson@asfmra.org. If you register within 24 hours of the webinar, you will receive the Zoom link immediately prior to the start of the event.
Start Times:
10:00 AM Pacific
11:00 AM Mountain
12:00 PM Central
1:00 PM Eastern
Continuing Education Credit: Attendees will receive one hour of ASFMRA continuing education credit.
Cost: Free for members and $25 for non-members
Contact with Questions: Laura Anderson | (303) 692-1213 | landerson@asfmra.org