How To Terminate A Farm Lease Tenant and Tenancy in Iowa
2024 Tenancy Terminations MUST be served by
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NOTICE: It is important that you understand we are not offering you legal advice. In the context of our duties as real estate brokers we are offering you a generalized view of the farm tenancy termination process. In our experience 98% of farm leases are straight forward and can be extinguished with this process. That doesn’t mean there isn’t some circumstance in your case that makes it different. Always seek legal advice to have legal questions answered.
Understanding Farm Tenancy in Iowa and Lease Termination Letter
Iowa Farmland Leases Automatically Renew
It is important to understand that verbal leases in Iowa automatically renew for another year if you do not notify the other party in writing that you are breaking the tenancy. The actual tenancy lasts from March 1 to the last day of February the following year. Tenancy notifications must be served prior to September 1st to break any tenancy. For example, if you do not want a tenant on your farm during the 2025 crop season, you must notify them BEFORE September 1, 2024. If you do not notify them before September 1, 2024, they have a legal right to tenancy on the farm from March 1, 2025 to February 29, 2026.
Farm Leases Verbal or Written
Farm leases are not required to be in writing in order to be enforceable. A farm lease is a legally binding contract whether its written or not. Written leases are always the best business practices and ensures all terms are easy to evidence.
Steps to Terminating Common Farm Tenancy in Iowa
2. Arrange for delivery or service to the tenant before September 1st. Certified Mail is the best option. Emails, text messages and phone calls will not satisfy the legal requirement.
3. Document your process and service of the form to the tenant. With certified mail you will get a mailing receipt and once mailed service is considered perfected even if its not picked up.
4. File your documents for safe keeping and future needs.
Elements of Iowa’s Farm Lease Law

Jason J Smith, Land Auctioneer
515-537-6633
Considerations of Termination of a Farm Tenant
There are more questions relating to farm tenancy where the form was not served before September 1st so I’ll spend a little time answering those questions.
Can I sell my land if there is a tenant?
Do I have to Offer First Right to Buy to My Tenant
I Didn't Serve A Tenancy Termination Notice by Sept 1, Now what?
There is also the option of mutual agreement. Perhaps your tenant will be understanding of your situation and voluntarily relinquish their farm tenancy. As long as you and the tenant agree to this, you can sell your farm tenancy free.
A final option of buying the tenant out of the tenancy exists. This has become less and less financially viable over the years and the pay offers have gotten higher. When you use the proceeds from the sale to make the payoff it just becomes a financial decision. Unless it becomes necessary for some reason, I believe this is the least desirable option.
My Tenant Applied Fertilizer, Do I Have to Pay Them Back?
I Own 2 Farms But Only Want to Terminate 1 of Them
We Want To Get Top Dollar For Our Farm
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