Prime agricultural land across five counties is set to change hands as strong interest meets caution amid lower crop prices and high interest rates
More than 1,160 acres of Minnesota farmland are set to be auctioned in July 2026, according to data compiled by the Successful Farming team. Listings range from a single 3.75-acre tract to a multi-parcel auction totaling over 429.66 acres across five counties in the state.
Faribault and Freeborn County Auction
A 429.66-acre property, located approximately 10 miles south of Wells in the south-central part of the state, will be offered in five parcels via a One-Chance Sealed Bid Sale on July 16, 2026.
Hertz Farm Management is handling the sale on behalf of the Mutschler Family. Parcels range in size from 11 to 153.82 cropland acres. Parcels 1–3 will be offered individually and/or in combination, while Parcels 4 and 5 will be offered individually and not combined.
Parcels 1 and 2 have CPIs of 83.70 and 86, while Parcels 4 and 5 have CPIs of 92.50 and 90.70, making this highly productive ground extremely sought-after.
Parcel 3 is a turnkey farmstead featuring a well-maintained home, heated farm shop, multiple machine sheds, and more than 300,000 bushels of grain storage. The property includes approximately 11 taxable acres with a CPI of 82.2 and is equipped with three-phase power.
Jared Augustine of Hertz Farm Management said local interest has been strong, particularly among farmers looking to expand with one or two parcels located near their current operations.
Faribault County Auction
A 75-acre farm in northeast Fairbault County, along the Minnesota-Iowa border, will be offered as a single tract at auction on July 29, 2026. The sale will be conducted in a live and online format at Wells Community Center.
Wingert Land Services is handling the sale on behalf of the Barnick Family Farm. This 75-acre tract includes 70.66 FSA tillable acres with a strong Crop Productivity Index of 93.5. Featuring Canisteo-Glencoe complex, Webster clay loam, Nicollet clay loam, and Clarion loam soils, the level-to-gently rolling farm is served by private drainage mains and laterals.
The property is leased for the 2026 crop year and will be available for farming or leasing in 2027.
Geoff Mead of Wingert Land Services expects the farm’s combination of size, productivity, and accessibility to generate strong interest. “The square configuration, top-quality soils, two-sided access with a tar road, and easy access to nearby grain terminals” are among the characteristics he believes will drive competitive bidding.
Waseca County Auction
A 160-acre farm in southern Waseca County will be offered as a single tract at auction on July 31. The sale will be conducted in a live and online format at New Richland Hall.
Wingert Land Services is handling the sale on behalf of the Johannsen Farm. This 160-acre tract includes 143.4 FSA tillable acres with a Crop Productivity Index of 93.6, well above the county average of 85. Featuring Webster clay loam, Canisteo-Glencoe complex, Nicollet clay loam, and Clarion loam soils, the level to gently rolling farm is served by private drainage mains and laterals.
The property includes 8.7 acres enrolled in CRP through 2029 and is leased for the 2026 crop year, with the farm available to operate or lease in 2027.
Mead said, “The open ditch outlet and 93.6 CPI soil rating should have plenty of buyers interested in this property. A reliable outlet that is easily accessible is always a value driver.”
Economic Analysis
Despite ongoing pressure from lower corn and soybean prices, Nathan Hulinsky, an agricultural business management educator with the University of Minnesota Extension, expects the upcoming auctions to draw strong interest due to the quality of the land.
“These three sales in Faribault and Waseca counties are highly desirable, flat, high-CPI-number farms with easy access,” Hulinsky said. “I would expect strong buyer interest.”
Hulinsky noted that improved farm profitability in 2025, particularly among Minnesota’s livestock sector, has strengthened some producers’ purchasing power. At the same time, he cautioned that depressed grain prices, elevated production costs, higher down payment requirements, and persistently high interest rates are likely to temper aggressive bidding.
“The really expensive farmland sales over $15,000 per acre are less likely,” he said. “But the overall median farmland price will remain stable, with most sales occurring closer to the county average rather than reaching record highs.”
