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This article is part of FBN Finance's farmland evaluation series. The four key factors to evaluate before buying land are: Soil Type | Comparable Sales | Cropping History | Terrain Comparisons
Cropping history reveals what a piece of land has been used for, year by year, often going back decades. Before buying farmland, reviewing that history helps you understand the land's demonstrated productivity, the management practices of previous operators, potential soil health risks, and whether the parcel is realistically suited to your intended operation — before you're legally bound to a purchase.
Before You Buy: 4 Farmland Factors to Consider from FBN® Finance explains why soil type is one of the four essential factors a farmer should examine before making a final purchasing decision on a parcel of land. Download the free guide here or continue reading below to learn more about soil type.
By understanding what crops have been grown on a parcel over time, you can assess whether the land is well-suited to your planned operation — and flag potential concerns before they become expensive post-purchase surprises.
If cropping history shows consistent, well-managed corn and soybean rotations, that's a positive signal: the land has been actively farmed, soil structure has likely been maintained, and input use has probably been typical for the region. If history shows irregular fallow periods, repeated monoculture, or major land-use changes, that warrants deeper investigation.
Cropping history also provides indirect evidence of past management practices — fertilizer programs, pesticide applications, irrigation use — that can affect the soil's long-term health and productivity. A field with documented heavy herbicide use may carry residual carryover risk for your first growing season. A field with aging or unknown tile drainage may require infrastructure investment you didn't price into your offer.
Not all cropping histories are equal. These patterns are worth investigating further before you buy.
Continuous corn (5+ years): Extended monoculture is associated with compaction, increased disease pressure (gray leaf spot, northern corn leaf blight), declining organic matter, and elevated nematode populations. Well-managed operations rotate; fields stuck in continuous corn often reflect constrained infrastructure, poor drainage, or a landlord-tenant structure that limited flexibility. Expect higher fertility and disease management costs in the early years.
Unexplained fallow periods: Years showing no crop production can indicate flooding events, drainage failures, soil contamination, title disputes, or other issues. One fallow year is not unusual; repeated or extended fallow periods warrant a direct conversation about the cause before you close.
Herbicide-heavy crop sequences: Certain herbicide programs leave residual compounds in soil that can injure or kill subsequent crops for one to three growing seasons. If the history shows repeated use of crops associated with aggressive herbicide programs — particularly ALS inhibitors common in pulse or small grain rotations — consult an agronomist about residual carryover risk before you assume you can start your intended rotation in year one.
Recent land-use conversion: A parcel converted from pasture, CRP enrollment, or other non-cropland recently may have lower initial row crop productivity as soil structure adjusts to tillage. CRP ground may also still be under contract restrictions. Verify the enrollment status and any remaining contractual limitations before purchase.
Highly variable or erratic rotation patterns: If the history shows rapid, unexplained changes in what was grown each year, it may indicate recurring productivity challenges, high tenant turnover, or underlying soil or drainage issues — all of which are worth understanding before you buy.
Lenders and appraisers look at more than theoretical soil productivity — they consider what the land has actually produced. Consistent, well-documented cropping history with stable rotations signals reliable income-producing potential, which supports stronger appraisals and better financing terms.
A history marked by fallow years, erratic management, or known soil health concerns may result in a lower appraised value, particularly if those issues affect projected yield potential. A land loan appraiser assessing collateral value will factor in whether the land's demonstrated history supports its asking price.
From a negotiation standpoint, cropping history is leverage. If the history reveals issues that will increase your operating costs or risk — extended continuous corn, drainage failures, CRP conversion costs — those are legitimate grounds for negotiating the purchase price, just as you'd use comparable sales data to challenge a price that's above market.
Cropping history is one piece of the picture. A sound purchasing decision also accounts for soil quality and productivity index, water availability and drainage infrastructure, proximity to grain markets and elevators, overall farm infrastructure, and your own financial position and loan capacity.
If you've reviewed the cropping history and confirmed this land fits your operation, FBN Finance can help you close the deal with a competitive farmland loan.
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If you’re looking for soil type information before making a farmland purchase, FBN offers an evaluation tool to help you get the insights you need to make an informed buying decision.
AcreVision, which is available for free to FBN members, is an innovative farmland evaluation system designed to assist farmers in making informed decisions about potential land purchases by providing vital insights into specific farmland parcels.
The soil information used in AcreVision is obtained from the United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) and the National Cooperative Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO). This data provides insights into the soil's characteristics essential for crop growth and yield, including:
Drainage
Nutrient-holding capacity
Texture
Try AcreVision for free today by clicking here.
What does cropping history tell you about a piece of farmland? Cropping history reveals what crops have been grown on a parcel year by year, providing evidence of the land's demonstrated productivity, the management approach of previous operators, rotation diversity, and any periods of non-production. It helps buyers assess whether the land is realistically suited to their intended operation and flag potential soil health, residual herbicide, or infrastructure concerns before purchase.
How many years of cropping history should I review before buying land? Reviewing at least 10 years of cropping history is generally advisable. That gives you enough data to identify recurring patterns — like continuous monoculture, repeated fallow years, or consistent high-productivity rotations — rather than reacting to a single anomalous season. USDA's Cropland Data Layer provides data going back to 1997 in many states.
Can herbicide carryover from previous crops affect my operation? Yes. Some herbicide programs leave residual compounds in the soil that can affect subsequent crops for one to three growing seasons. If the cropping history shows repeated use of crops associated with specific herbicide programs, it's worth consulting an agronomist about carryover risks before you assume you can begin your intended rotation immediately in the first year.
Where can I find cropping history for a specific parcel? FBN's AcreVision tool (free to members) provides cropping history data sourced from the USDA Cropland Data Layer. You can also access CDL data directly through USDA's CroplandCROS viewer at no cost. Your county FSA office may also have records of crop insurance history and base acres for the parcel, which can supplement the satellite data.
Does cropping history affect farmland loan qualification? Cropping history can indirectly affect your financing by influencing the appraised value of the land. Parcels with consistent, well-managed production histories typically support stronger appraisals than those with extended fallow periods, productivity issues, or soil health concerns. Lenders consider income-producing potential when assessing collateral value, and a parcel's cropping track record is part of that picture.
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