Ag Land and Money: Mid-South and Western conferences will highlight regional trends in ag land transactions
“As market dynamics shift and regulatory changes continue, landowners, investors, and agricultural professionals must stay informed to navigate these complexities.” —Quinn Kendrick
By Drew Viguet
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture
April 9, 2025
Fast facts:
- Conference sessions will detail latest ag land legal and market trends
- Peoples Company’s Dave Muth, Quinn Kendrick will present
- Registration available online, including livestream option
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Trends in agricultural land ownership and markets impact every region of the country, and upcoming sessions at two premier agricultural law conferences will highlight the latest developments in the West and Mid-South.
Peoples Company’s Dave Muth, director of capital markets, and Quinn Kendrick, general counsel, will lead a session for the 12th Annual Mid-South Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference online “Early Bird” event, titled, “Ag Land Transactions in the Mid-South: Update on Market & Legal Trends.” The two will present a similar session tailored to the West at the 3rd Annual Western Water, Agricultural, and Environmental Law Conference, “Ag Land Transactions in the Western U.S.: Update on Market & Legal Trends.”
Both the Mid-South and Western conferences are hosted by the National Agricultural Law Center, or NALC, and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Foundation, or NASDA Foundation.
Peoples Company is a full-service national land brokerage and asset management platform based out of Clive, Iowa. In addition to brokerage, the company specializes in comprehensive land services such as auctions, management, appraisals and more.
“The ag sector continues to go through a lot of change, much of which is financially very challenging,” said NALC Director Harrison Pittman. “Ag land investments and collateralization are big part of the picture in the current environment, and we’re lucky to have Quinn and Dave uniquely address the legal and market trends. In that context, we’re getting the latest read out on legal and market trends at both of our 2025 conferences.”
Muth and Kendricks’ sessions will highlight current market and legal trends in agricultural land, such as licensing ecosystem services, and discuss the relationship in market trends to corporate and foreign ownership restrictions. They will also discuss legal and financial challenges, including distressed assets, due diligence trends, and limitations of liability, such as caps on damages.
“As market dynamics shift and regulatory changes continue, landowners, investors, and agricultural professionals must stay informed to navigate these complexities,” Kendrick said.
Muth says that changes in markets bring far-reaching implications for agriculture.
“By discussing both the market and legal side, we can paint a full picture for attorneys, lenders, producers, and others on what to expect regarding ag land transactions,” he said.
The Mid-South online “Early Bird” will be held online May 14 for those who register for the conference by May 13. The main conference program will be held June 5-6 in Memphis, Tennessee. Details are available at nationalaglawcenter.org/midsouth2025.
The Western conference will be held June 19-20 in Reno, Nevada, at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino, and features a livestream option. More information for both programs is available online at nationalaglawcenter.org/legaleducation.
Both conferences feature continuing legal education credit, as well as continuing education from the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.
“Steve Bruere and his Peoples Company team have been a great friend of the NALC and we’re thrilled that they’ll be an important part of both conferences this year,” Pittman said. “Dave and Quinn bring expertise on the latest ag land policy developments that is sure to benefit attendees.”
For information about the NALC, visit nationalaglawcenter.org. The NALC is also on X, Facebook and LinkedIn. Subscribe online to receive NALC Communications, including webinar announcements, the NALC’s Quarterly Newsletter, and The Feed.
About the National Agricultural Law Center
Created by Congress in 1987, the National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, agribusinesses, state and federal policymakers, lenders, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, students, and many others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information to the nation’s agricultural community.
The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library.
About the NASDA Foundation
The NASDA Foundation is the only educational and research organization that directly serves the nation’s state departments of agriculture. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The mission of the NASDA Foundation is to advance agriculture to shape a changing world.
For more information on the NASDA Foundation, visit nasda.org/nasda-foundation. The NASDA Foundation is also on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media contact:
Drew Viguet
Communications & Special Projects Coordinator
National Agricultural Law Center
dviguet@uark.edu