Pasture rental rates by state

How pasture differs from cropland rent

A strong pasture lease prices access to forage and livestock infrastructure. Water source, fence condition, cross-fencing, shade, lane access, grazing season length, stocking rate, and manure or mowing responsibilities can matter more than a soil productivity score alone.

A cropland lease prices the right to plant and harvest crops. For row-crop ground, Scout uses USDA NASS cropland cash-rent benchmarks and then adjusts parcel context with SSURGO soils. Pasture rent should stay in its own lane.

Pasture rent FAQ

What are pasture rental rates?

Pasture rental rates are the annual per-acre rent for land used primarily for grazing. They are usually lower than cropland cash rents because they reflect forage value, carrying capacity, fencing, water, and livestock access rather than row-crop production.

Does NASS publish pasture rental rates by state?

Yes, but coverage is thinner than cropland cash rent. In this snapshot, NASS reports 43 state pasture-rent rows for 2026; states without a row are labeled not reported.

Can I use pasture rent as cropland rent?

No. Pasture rent and cropland rent are separate NASS series and should not be substituted for one another. Use pasture rent for grazing context and cropland cash rent for row-crop lease benchmarks.