At Stalcup Ag Service, our farm managers are hands-on at every stage of the operation — from crop planning and input purchasing to soil management, crop scouting, machinery oversight, and stored grain management. We’re not a desk-bound management firm. We’re on the land.
Based in Storm Lake and serving farmland owners throughout western Iowa and across the country, our team brings decades of local agricultural knowledge to every farm we manage. We stay current on markets, inputs, conservation practices, and the latest agronomic research so you don’t have to.
You’ll always know what’s happening on your property. You’ll have a qualified, experienced advocate working to protect and grow the value of your investment. We also work directly with farm operators and farm tenants, sharing expertise to help them improve efficiency and increase income.
Many of our clients don’t live near their farmland. Maybe you inherited Iowa land, moved away after selling your farm home, or purchased farmland as an investment from another state. Whichever way it happened, Stalcup Ag Service gives you the on-the-ground presence you need, without requiring you to be there.
We provide regular crop progress reports during the growing season, quarterly financial statements, year-end accounting, and a dedicated farm checking account so every dollar in and out is documented. You’ll have the information you need to make smart decisions and the confidence that your land is in expert hands.
Questions? We answer them. Phone, email, or in person if you’re ever passing through Storm Lake. We’re always reachable.
Cash rent, custom share, or custom farming, we’ll help you choose the arrangement that maximizes your return and fits your goals.
Our net-based fee structure aligns our incentives with yours. We do better when you do better, and you pay nothing above the base fee until the crop is profitable.
Stay fully informed with regular crop progress updates, quarterly financial statements, and a year-end report that covers everything you need for tax prep and planning.
Daily market monitoring, strategic grain sales, and customized crop insurance plans designed to protect your income through every growing season.
Protecting your soil, water, and long-term land value through conservation practices, GPS soil sampling, and proactive infrastructure maintenance.
Need advice on a lease negotiation, a land purchase, or a succession plan? We bring farm management, appraisal, and real estate expertise to the table.
Stalcup Ag Service works with Iowa farmland owners of all types, including active farmers, retired landowners, agricultural investors, and families who have inherited farmland.
We also help absentee landowners who live outside the area—or outside Iowa—by providing trusted local management and oversight.
Based in Storm Lake, we provide farm management services throughout western Iowa, including Buena Vista, Sac, Pocahontas, Cherokee, Ida, Crawford, Lyon, Harrison, O’Brien, Shelby, Pottawattamie, Mills, Montgomery, and Adams counties.
Whether you live nearby or across the country, our team helps protect and maximize the value of your farmland investment.
Our Stalcup farm manager, Nathan Deters, has a good knowledge of farm management issues. He keeps on top of rental rates and the details of our renter’s farming practices. Nathan is very smart and fun to talk with about all aspects of Iowa farming. He understands the details of our farm operation, information about farm inputs, crop production, and land values. We feel he is honest and fair and has established a good relationship with our renters as well as with us. Nathan has been good to spend time with us, giving us fascinating tours of other farms and an ethanol plant when we come to Iowa. The Stalcup office staff is always courteous and helpful to us. Stalcup is the best farm management company we have experienced.
After interviewing several banks and farm management companies, I felt very comfortable with Stalcup. They make a point to get in the field and talk to the operators regularly and report back to me. Living a long ways away, I have to depend on someone who knows and understands my farm. It makes a real difference to have a company with a trust level of your next door neighbor checking everything out. Dennis and the other Stalcup Ag Service managers are extremely knowledgeable and personable, but it’s their hands on approach and availability that sets them apart from the competition.
We’ve managed farmland in western Iowa for decades. Here’s what sets us apart:
1. Fees tied to your results. Our net fee system means we earn more only when you earn more. We’re motivated to keep your costs down and your yields up.
2. You stay informed. Regular crop reports, quarterly financials, and year end summaries keep you in the loop, whether you’re in Storm Lake or Seattle.
3. Local expertise. Our managers know western Iowa soil, weather, markets, and operators. That local knowledge is irreplaceable.
4. One team, all services. Farm management, appraisals, and real estate under one roof means no coordination gaps.
5. Conservation-minded management. We manage for long-term land value, not just this year’s crop. Healthy soil is good stewardship and a solid investment.
A farm manager acts as your local representative and oversees the day-to-day management of your farmland. This typically includes negotiating leases, monitoring tenants, recommending crop inputs and conservation practices, coordinating maintenance or improvements, and providing financial reporting. The goal is to protect the long-term value of your land while maximizing income.
Farm managers serve as the liaison between the landowner and tenant. They ensure lease terms are followed, help coordinate field operations when necessary, and address issues related to land care or conservation.
The best lease structure depends on the landowner’s goals and risk tolerance. Common options include cash rent leases, crop share leases, and flexible leases tied to crop prices or yields. A farm manager can help determine which structure is most appropriate.
Most landowners receive regular updates during planting, growing season, and harvest. Annual reports typically include crop performance, income summaries, and management recommendations.
Yes. Farm managers often recommend soil testing, fertility adjustments, drainage improvements, and conservation practices that help maintain or improve long-term productivity.
No. Landowners maintain full ownership and decision-making authority. A farm manager simply provides expertise, oversight, and local coordination.
No. Many absentee owners manage 80-160 acre farms or inherited family land. Farm management services are helpful regardless of farm size.
Stalcup Ag Service provides farm management services throughout Western Iowa, including Buena Vista, Pocahontas, Clay, Ida, Calhoun, Sac, Webster, Woodbury, and many surrounding counties.
Our team regularly works with absentee landowners, farm families, and agricultural investors across the region.
While most of our farm management clients are located in Western Iowa, we also assist landowners with farms in parts of Nebraska, South Dakota, and Minnesota.
Contact us to discuss your property and determine how our farm management services can support your goals.
Even if you have a reliable tenant, a farm manager provides independent oversight. They ensure lease terms are followed, monitor crop conditions, verify conservation practices, and help negotiate fair rent based on local market conditions. This protects absentee owners who may not be able to regularly inspect the farm themselves.
Many new absentee farmland owners begin by working with a farm manager to:
This helps new landowners understand the value and responsibilities of owning farmland.
Learn more:
Yes. Many absentee landowners receive digital reports, photos, yield data, and financial summaries that allow them to stay informed even if they live out of state.
Resources:
If you’re evaluating farm management options for the first time or looking for a responsive, transparent partner, we’d love to talk. Reach out for a no-pressure conversation about your land and your goals.
Call us at 712-732-4811, email us, or fill out our contact form. We’re based in Storm Lake and serve landowners throughout western Iowa.
Stay informed and connected—subscribe to our mailing list today to receive the latest issues of Today’s Land Owner, Crop Updates, or get notified of auctions and real estate for sale, sent directly in your inbox!
