One of the most frequently asked questions is "What cash rental rate is fair?" This page helps address this issue, provides farm rental links and information on lease agreements.

How Do I Calculate a Fair Land Rental Price?

Many landowners in Paulding county choose to rent their farm ground instead of actively farming the ground themselves.  The major question that landlords and tenants ask is, “What is a fair price to rent farm ground for?”  Determining rental rates is dependent on a number of variables that are different for each land rental situation.  

Leases

It is recommended once the landlord and tenant agree on a rental price a written lease should be signed by both parties. The North Central Farm Management Extension Committee has developed a website “Ag Lease 101” which helps both landowners and land operators learn about alternative lease arrangements and includes sample written lease agreements for several alternatives. Some of the example leases available are Cash Farm Leases, Crop-Share Leases, Pasture Leases, Farm Building/Livestock Facility Leases, Farm Machinery Leases for Non-Commercial Transactions, and Livestock Rental Leases. Ag Lease 101 can be accessed at https://aglease101.org/  Sample leases can also be accessed below.

Legal Questions & Answers

OSU Extension’s Agricultural & Resource Law Program, led by Assistant Professor Peggy Kirk Hall, helps to provide research and outreach on legal issues affecting agriculture.  A variety of Law Bulletins are available from the Farm Leasing Law Library and include the following discussions: What’s in Your Farmland Lease?, Creating an Enforceable Farm Lease, Protecting, Interests in a Verbal Farm Lease Situation, Leasing Your Land for Hunting, Crop Share Leasing in Ohio, and Legal Aspects of Ohio Farmland Leases.  The Agricultural & Resource Law Program can be accessed at https://farmoffice.osu.edu/

Below is a listing of resources from The Ohio State University and other land grant universities you will find useful as you evaluate a fair rent for your farm.