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Enter the full legal name of this party exactly as it appears on their ID or business registration.
Enter the full legal name of this party exactly as it appears on their ID or business registration.
An Agricultural Farm Land Lease is the specialized lease agreement between a landowner and a farmer or agricultural operator for the cultivation, grazing, or agricultural use of farmland. Fundamentally different from residential and commercial leases — covers crop rotation requirements, soil conservation obligations, chemical and pesticide restrictions, hunting and mineral rights, water rights, farm income reporting, and USDA farm program payment allocation. The most significant long-term contract most farm families will ever sign. Should always address the farm's eligibility for crop insurance, FSA payments, and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) participation. Fill out this free agricultural farm land lease agreement template online, e-sign it digitally, and download a legally valid PDF. no account or lawyer needed. Sections: Parties, Farm & Lease Terms.
This Agricultural Farm Land Lease Agreement (the "Lease") is entered into as of ______________ by and between ______________, located at ______________ ("Landowner" or "Lessor"), and ______________, located at ______________ ("Farmer" or "Lessee").
Landowner hereby leases to Farmer, and Farmer hereby leases from Landowner, the following farmland (the "Farm"): Location: ______________ Description: ______________ Approximate Total Acres: 0 acres
The term of this Lease shall commence on ______________ and shall expire on ______________, unless sooner terminated in accordance with the provisions hereof. This Lease shall not automatically renew without the written agreement of both parties. Either party wishing to terminate this Lease at the end of the Term shall provide written notice no later than September 1 of the final lease year, to allow adequate time for the Farmer to plan for the following crop year.
Farmer shall pay rent in accordance with the following structure: ______________. Annual rent due date(s): ______________.
The Farm shall be used solely for the following agricultural purposes: ______________. Farmer shall not use the Farm for any other purpose without Landowner's prior written consent. Farmer shall farm all tillable acres of the Farm in a good and farmer-like manner consistent with local farming practices, and shall not allow any portion of the Farm to become unproductive through neglect or non-use.
Farmer shall: (a) farm the Farm using practices that protect and maintain the long-term productivity and health of the soil, including maintaining appropriate crop rotations as set forth herein; (b) comply with all conservation practices required by the applicable USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and any applicable Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) or Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) contracts; (c) not remove, damage, or destroy any fence rows, terraces, waterways, tile lines, or other conservation structures; (d) maintain or install cover crops or other conservation practices as required by applicable USDA or state conservation programs; and (e) comply with all federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations, including the Clean Water Act and applicable pesticide application laws.
Farmer shall maintain a rotation of crops suitable for the soil types on the Farm and consistent with good farming practices in the area. Farmer shall not plant the same crop on any given field for more than two consecutive years without Landowner's written consent. In the final year of this Lease, Farmer shall plant crops and varieties that are appropriate given the start of the following growing season.
Farmer shall apply all pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and other agricultural chemicals in strict accordance with label directions, applicable law, and good farming practices. Farmer shall maintain complete and accurate records of all chemical applications on the Farm, including product names, rates, and dates of application, and shall make such records available to Landowner upon request. Farmer shall be solely responsible for compliance with all applicable pesticide applicator licensing and reporting requirements.
All government farm program payments (including FSA commodity program payments, ARC, PLC, and any disaster or emergency assistance payments) attributable to the Farm shall be allocated between Landowner and Farmer in the same proportion as the rent sharing arrangement under this Lease. Each party shall be responsible for obtaining any required FSA registration and signing their own program forms. Farmer shall promptly notify Landowner of any government program, conservation contract, or easement offer affecting the Farm.
Landowner shall be responsible for all real property taxes, assessments, and drainage district levies assessed against the Farm. Farmer shall be responsible for obtaining and maintaining crop insurance on all crops planted on the Farm, naming Landowner as an additional insured to the extent of Landowner's interest. Farmer shall also be responsible for maintaining liability insurance covering Farmer's farming operations on the Farm.
Farmer shall maintain all existing fences, gates, drainage tile, terraces, and waterways on the Farm in good repair and condition. Farmer shall not construct or remove any permanent improvements, tile, or drainage structures without Landowner's prior written consent. Approved improvements shall remain the property of Landowner upon expiration of this Lease, unless Landowner elects to require their removal. Farmer shall be responsible for the cost of any improvements Farmer constructs.
Landowner reserves the right to access the Farm at any reasonable time for purposes of inspection, hunting, timber management, or other purposes that do not unreasonably interfere with Farmer's farming operations. Hunting rights on the Farm are reserved by Landowner unless expressly granted to Farmer in writing. Farmer shall not permit any third party to hunt on the Farm without Landowner's prior written consent.
All mineral rights, oil and gas rights, sand, gravel, and water rights in and under the Farm are retained by Landowner and are not included in this Lease. Landowner shall have the right to enter into oil, gas, mineral, and similar leases and to conduct exploration and extraction activities on the Farm, provided such activities do not unreasonably interfere with Farmer's farming operations. Farmer shall not drill, excavate, or remove any minerals, sand, or gravel from the Farm.
If Farmer fails to pay rent when due, or fails to perform any other obligation under this Lease, Landowner shall provide written notice of default. Farmer shall have 30 days to cure a monetary default and 60 days to cure a non-monetary default. If Farmer fails to cure the default within the applicable cure period, Landowner may terminate this Lease and re-enter the Farm. Upon termination, Farmer shall have the right to harvest and remove any standing crops, but shall otherwise vacate the Farm within 30 days of termination notice.
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of ______________, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles.