Share Crop Ethics Question

[Shaggy98]

I've planted a spring cover crop blend on some idle acres that I'll be drilling to HRW wheat later this fall.  My primary purpose of the cover crop is weed suppression and to reduce the amount of chemicals I'll need to apply between now and late September.  If I hay/graze a few of these acres am I obligated to pay my landlords a fee even though I covered all expenses to plant and harvest the cover crop?

[BA Deere]

As I understand it and I can be wrong, but unless there`s something in the lease that is different, the land is essentially "yours" when that lease is in effect.  But, it`s still a good idea to have a open dialogue with your landlord.  Some could be a screwball and not want "cattle tramping all over on my farm!" type deal, while others would say "great, the cattle are fertilizing, nice to see them out there.".  Always best to check  🙂  

But I know of cases where a tenant lost a farm and was bitter and baled corn stalks and left them right up to March 1 the next year, which bolixed up the new tenant spreading fertilizer and such and there wasn`t anything in the lease against it, but those are bad deals.

[sw363535]

A Crop is a crop .....is a crop .... is a crop.   Whether you haul it off to the coop or walk it off to the sale barn.... you used the land for financial gain....

I always try to pay something.  Even if it is adjusted to a reasonable share.... by the parties involved.

IMO

[Jim Meade / Iowa City]

I'm confused.  Are you paying rent on these acres?  If so, I'd think you can do anything not prohibited by the lease.  If not, I'd suppose it would be right to pay something.  As others suggest, an open talk with the landlord might make everyone happy.

[sw363535]

Good thought Jim,  I assumed it was a crop share lease as is more prominent in Ks...

If a cash lease then there is no moral factor to it....   there is no question..

[sw363535]

Although,  odd ducks are odd ducks...

A neighbor lost a land lease because he planted and raised a second crop (double cropped, as he was working into a rotation and needed to use up some excess fertility from a season of potatoes...

Owner "interpreted" a simple cash lease to mean one crop per year and wanted a second cash lease payment for the year.

Always best to check   Right BA?

[Kay/NC]

We only have one landlord, with 25 acres adjoining us here in NC. He specified he didn't want sheep grazing the land, due to compaction. I would say that might be a concern if you wanted to graze, but haying is your crop.

[OKdon]

Good idea TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING BEFORE THE FACT RATHER THAN AFTER!

[Kay/NC]

To me, the nature of the lease is key. If it is straight land rent per acre per year, then whatever you grow in the year on that land is yours. If it is a crop share lease, then you are stuck sharing the crop, unless it just specified one particular planting.