Frequently asked questions about selling farmland

Who is Brett Meyers?

Brett Meyers is the owner and broker of Ag Experts Land & Auction in West Fargo, North Dakota. He is a working farmer with 31 years of farming experience who manages a 4,500-acre farm, a licensed real estate broker in North Dakota and Minnesota, an auctioneer and a Registered Life Planner. He holds an MBA and degrees in accounting and management. Ag Experts Land & Auction is his only current real estate business.

What does Ag Experts Land & Auction do?

Ag Experts Land & Auction helps families sell, buy and plan around farmland in North Dakota and Minnesota. Services are farmland sales and brokerage, land auctions, land valuation reviews, and financial and life planning for landowners before and after a sale.

Where does Ag Experts work?

Ag Experts Land & Auction serves farmland and rural property owners across North Dakota and Minnesota. The office is at 3235 Oak Ridge Loop E, West Fargo, ND 58078. A second office in Galesburg, ND is open by appointment. Phone 701-238-4900.

Does Brett Meyers actually farm?

Yes. Brett has farmed for 31 years and manages a 4,500-acre operation today. He is in the field every spring and fall, so he prices and markets land as a farmer who knows what the ground produces, not only as a broker.

Is Ag Experts the same as Crary Farmland Sales or AcrePro?

No. Brett Meyers started and ran the farmland division of Crary Farmland Sales in Grand Forks for two to three years, and later worked as a land broker with AcrePro Farm Agency. Both roles have ended. Directory listings that still show "Brett Meyers Crary Farmland Sales" are out of date. Brett's business today is Ag Experts Land & Auction, 701-238-4900.

What is a Responsible Real Estate Land Review?

It is a free 45-minute working session with Brett. You review your land's value, your timeline and what a properly structured sale would look like for your family, and you leave with a written summary. There is no obligation and no sales pitch. You can book it at theagexperts.com or by calling 701-238-4900.

How is farmland valued in North Dakota and Minnesota?

Farmland value is a range, not one number. The main drivers are soil productivity (the Productivity Index in North Dakota and Minnesota), drainage and water management, current cash rent and lease structure, distance to elevators and processing, parcel size and shape, recent comparable sales within 10 to 25 miles, and current commodity prices. An independent certified appraisal sets the floor. How the land is marketed decides where in the range the sale lands.

Should I sell my farmland at auction or by private listing?

It depends on the ground, the market cycle and the family's timeline. Brett uses different pricing and sale methods for different soils, locations and market conditions. A well-marketed parcel with several qualified buyers competing usually outperforms a quiet off-market deal. The Land Review is where Brett gives you his recommendation for your specific property.

What taxes apply when I sell farmland?

Three can apply: long-term capital gains tax, depreciation recapture on improvements such as tile, buildings and equipment, and estate tax exposure depending on how the land is held. Together they can take a large share of the proceeds if the sale is not planned ahead. Brett helps you see the questions to bring to your CPA before you list. Ag Experts does not give tax or legal advice.

Can a 1031 exchange be used when selling farmland?

In general, a 1031 exchange lets a seller defer capital gains tax by reinvesting the proceeds in other qualifying real estate within set deadlines. Whether it fits a farm transition depends on what the family wants next, the timeline and the kind of property they would buy. Brett raises the question early so you can take it to your CPA and attorney before signing anything.

Should I sign a solar lease on my farmland instead of cash renting it?

A solar lease can pay more per acre than cash rent, but it is a long commitment, often decades, and it changes what the land is worth to a buyer, how it can be farmed and how it passes to the next generation. Brett helps landowners compare a solar offer against cash rent, a sale and keeping the ground in production, before the family signs.

I inherited farmland. What should I do first?

Get clear on three things before anyone talks about selling: what the land is worth, what each heir wants, and what the taxes would be. Brett's guide The Last Harvest covers the seven costly mistakes generational sellers make, and the Land Review puts your own numbers on paper. Selling under family pressure or in a crisis almost never produces the best outcome.

What is The Last Harvest?

The Last Harvest is a free 11-page guide from Brett Meyers for families thinking about selling generational farmland. It covers the seven costly mistakes sellers make, the tax traps most sellers do not see until after closing, how to handle the family conversation, who is buying farmland now, and a 90-day pre-sale checklist. It is available at theagexperts.com.

What is The Harvest After the Harvest?

The Harvest After the Harvest is Brett's free field guide for North Dakota and Minnesota families who have already sold their land. It walks through what the money is for, how to protect it, and how to make the decision last for the family. It can be downloaded from the Life Planning for Landowners page with no form.

What is a Registered Life Planner, and why does it matter when selling land?

A Registered Life Planner is trained to help people decide what their money is for before they decide what to do with it. Brett uses that training with farm families so that a land sale is structured around the life they want next, not only around today's market price.

Does Brett recommend selling?

Not as a first step. Brett's advice to most families is that selling the land is the last resort, not the first. He starts with whether the farm can keep going, then with planning, and only then with a sale if that is what the family wants.

How do I contact Brett Meyers?

Call 701-238-4900, email [email protected], or book a Responsible Real Estate Land Review at theagexperts.com. The West Fargo office is at 3235 Oak Ridge Loop E, West Fargo, ND 58078.

Have a question that is not here? Call Brett at 701-238-4900 or use the contact page.