How to Sell Arkansas Farmland Successfully in 2026

Selling agricultural land in Arkansas isn’t like selling a pickup or a piece of equipment. It’s a high-stakes transaction in a state where farming shapes local communities, land values, and long-term family wealth. Arkansas remains deeply agricultural, with 14.5 million acres of farmland across 42,500 farms, and agriculture contributes over $21 billion to the state’s economy each year.

If you’re thinking about selling your farm, pasture, timber ground, or cropland, this guide walks you through the Arkansas land market, how to prep your property, how to choose a selling path, and how to close with confidence.

Understand Today’s Arkansas Farmland Market (and What’s Changing)

Before you price your land or pick a sales strategy, it helps to understand the economic forces that shape buyer demand. Farm profitability, commodity mix, and financing conditions all influence how quickly land moves and what buyers will pay.

Recent projections point to a tighter income environment for many operators. Arkansas net farm income is projected to decline 8% to $2.91 billion in 2025, according to the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center (RaFF) and University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture reports the same projection: net farm income declining 8% to $2.91 billion in 2025.

Revenue mix matters, too. Total crop receipts in Arkansas are projected to decline by 13%, or $620 million, in 2025, according to the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center (RaFF) and University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture also projects crop receipts in Arkansas to decline by $0.62 billion in 2025.

At the same time, livestock may support demand in certain areas. Livestock receipts in Arkansas are expected to increase by 5%, or $430 million, in 2025, according to the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center (RaFF) and University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Government support is another factor buyers and sellers watch closely. Government payouts to Arkansas farmers are projected to total $420 million in 2025, according to the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center (RaFF) and University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Looking ahead, some forecasts suggest continued pressure. Net farm income in Arkansas is projected to decrease by 25% to $2.8 billion in 2026, according to the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center (RaFF).

Even within 2025, projections can vary by methodology and timing. The Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center (RaFF) projects Arkansas crop receipts will decrease by $466 million (-9%) in 2025, while other outlooks cite a $620 million decline. For land sellers, the practical takeaway is the same: buyers will scrutinize yields, lease terms, and risk more closely than they did in boom years.

Planting trends can also influence local demand for specific soil types and regions. Corn planted area in Arkansas is projected to increase by 210,000 acres to 710,000 acres in 2025, according to the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center (RaFF). If your property is well-suited for row crops (or positioned near strong basis and infrastructure), highlight that fit clearly in your marketing.

Finally, set expectations for timing. Selling land—especially vacant ag ground—often takes time to reach full market value. Many sellers should plan for a longer marketing window if they want top-dollar pricing.

Prepare Your Agricultural Land for Sale

1) Evaluate what you’re actually selling

Start with a clear, buyer-friendly snapshot of the property. Strong listings answer practical questions fast and reduce buyer uncertainty.

• Acreage and boundaries: total acres, tillable acres, pasture acres, timber acres, and any irregular boundary lines
• Soils and productivity: soil types, drainage, historical yields (if available), and any conservation practices
• Water: wells, ponds, creeks, irrigation potential, and any documented water rights
• Improvements: fences, gates, barns, grain bins, pads, interior roads, drainage, and utilities
• Access: paved vs. gravel, legal access, and any easements
• Zoning and current use: cropland, hay, cattle, hunting, timber, or mixed-use

2) Gather documentation early

Clean paperwork helps deals close faster and prevents price reductions during due diligence. Track down:

• Deed and legal description
• Survey(s), if available
• Tax records and parcel IDs
• Water documentation (wells, permits, usage history)
• Lease agreements (cash rent, crop share, hunting, grazing) and any renewal terms
• Any environmental or timber management reports you have

Choose the Best Way to Sell Agricultural Land in Arkansas

The right selling path depends on your timeline, your tolerance for showings and negotiations, and whether you prefer maximum price or maximum certainty.

Option 1: List with a farm/ranch real estate agent

An experienced land agent can price the property based on comparable sales, local demand, and land features buyers actually pay for. Agents also handle marketing, buyer screening, negotiations, and transaction coordination. You typically trade a commission and a longer timeline for broader exposure and a higher probability of achieving market value.

Option 2: Sell For Sale By Owner (FSBO)

FSBO can work when you have local buyer connections or time to manage the process yourself. You save on commissions, but you take on the workload:

• Pricing and comps research
• Marketing, inquiries, and property tours
• Negotiations, deadlines, and contract management
• Coordinating title work, surveys, and closing details

Option 3: Sell to a land-buying company for cash

If speed, simplicity, or certainty matters most, a land-buying company can be the most practical route. This option typically means a discounted price compared to a fully marketed retail sale, but it can reduce timelines, showings, and deal fall-through risk—especially if you’re dealing with inherited land, out-of-state ownership, or a property that needs cleanup or documentation work.

Market Your Arkansas Farmland to the Right Buyers

No matter how you sell, your marketing should make it easy for the right buyer to say “yes.”

Use high-quality visuals

Professional photos, seasonal shots (planting or harvest), and drone imagery help buyers understand layout, access, waterways, and neighboring land use.

Write a buyer-focused listing description

Include soils, current use, lease status, access, utilities, floodplain notes (if applicable), and distance to nearby towns, grain facilities, or highways. Make the next step obvious: how to request maps, schedules, and a tour.

List online and locally

Use major real estate platforms plus land-focused marketplaces. In Arkansas, local channels still matter—county networks, farm lenders, extension offices, and producer groups can connect you with serious buyers quickly.

Negotiate and Close with Fewer Surprises

Expect buyers to complete due diligence, especially when farm income projections tighten and lenders become more selective. You may see requests for:

• Soil tests, drainage evaluations, or yield documentation
• Survey updates and boundary confirmations
• Lease verification, tenant communication, or possession timelines
• Title curative work for older or inherited tracts

To protect your outcome, keep deadlines clear, respond quickly to document requests, and use a reputable title company or closing attorney experienced with rural land transactions.

When a Traditional Listing Doesn’t Fit

Some sellers don’t want a long marketing cycle, multiple showings, or the uncertainty of financing contingencies. In those cases, a cash sale can deliver a clean exit—especially if your priority is speed, avoiding repairs, or simplifying an estate or partnership situation.

Final Thoughts

Selling agricultural land in Arkansas takes planning, strong documentation, and a strategy that matches your timeline. The fundamentals still matter—soil, water, access, and local demand—but today’s market also reflects shifting farm-income expectations, changing crop and livestock outlooks, and evolving buyer risk tolerance.

If you define your goals early (maximum price vs. maximum certainty), present the land clearly, and choose the selling path that fits your situation, you can move from “thinking about selling” to a successful closing—without unnecessary delays.