Land records · Parcel maps · October 7, 2026
Farm Land Lease Types: Cash Rent and Crop Share
How a farm land lease works: cash rent, crop share, and flexible leases between landowners and farmers, plus terms on notice, conservation, and records.
Farm land lease is an agreement in which a landowner rents cropland or pasture to a farmer. The most common types are cash rent leases, where the farmer pays a fixed amount per acre, crop share leases, where the owner receives a share of the crop and shares some costs, and flexible leases that combine a base rent with bonuses tied to yields or prices. Farm leases may be written or oral, but written leases reduce disputes about notice, rent, conservation, and improvements. This page is general land-records background, not legal advice.
Common lease types
| Type | How it works |
|---|---|
| Cash rent | Fixed payment per acre |
| Crop share | Owner receives a share of crop and pays a share of inputs |
| Flexible cash rent | Base rent plus bonus tied to yield or price |
| Custom farming | Owner pays an operator to farm |
Key terms
- Description of land and acreage.
- Term and renewal.
- Rent amount and due dates.
- Responsibility for fertilizer, lime, and drainage.
- Conservation practices and soil care.
- Hunting rights.
- Government program payments.
- Termination and notice.
Notice requirements
Some states set deadlines for terminating year-to-year farm leases, such as notice by a certain date in the fall, especially for oral leases. Missing the deadline can extend the lease another year.
Property tax and current use
Leasing land to a farmer can help keep current use valuation for agricultural taxation.
Recording
Most farm leases are not recorded. Long-term leases may be recorded through a memorandum of lease.
Leases and energy development
When landowners sign solar leases or wind agreements, farm leases must be coordinated, with crop damage payments and termination of affected acres.
Pasture leases
Pasture may be leased under a grazing lease rather than a cropland lease.
Example
A retired owner leases 160 acres of cropland on a cash rent lease of $250 per acre per year, half due in spring and half in fall. The lease requires the farmer to maintain fertility and follow conservation plans, and either party can terminate with notice by September 1.
Setting rent
Owners and farmers often look at local rent surveys, soil productivity, and crop prices. Extension services publish rent survey data in many states.
Transfer at sale
If the land is sold, the buyer may take it subject to the existing lease, depending on state law and the lease.
Improvements and reimbursement
Farmers sometimes install tile, lime fields, or build fences that last beyond the lease. A written lease can state whether the owner reimburses the unused value of such improvements if the lease ends early. Without such terms, disputes are common when a long-time tenant is replaced.
Recordkeeping
Both parties should keep copies of the lease, rent receipts, and records of inputs shared under crop share arrangements.
Bottom line
A farm land lease rents cropland or pasture to a farmer, usually through cash rent, crop share, or flexible arrangements. Written leases should cover rent, conservation, notice, and coordination with other uses. Check state notice rules. Explore rural counties via the Platbookmapper map.
Farm land lease FAQ
What is a cash rent lease?
A farm lease with a fixed payment per acre.
What is a crop share lease?
A lease where the owner receives a share of the crop.
Are oral farm leases valid?
Often, but written leases reduce disputes.
How do I end a farm lease?
Follow lease terms and state notice deadlines.
Does a farm lease continue after sale?
It may, depending on law and terms.