What Are Farmland Classifications?
- Craig Kaiser
- 10 hours ago
- 8 min read
Farmland isn't just dirt. To the untrained eye, a sprawling green field might look like any other, but beneath the surface lies a complex story of soil health, water retention, and productivity potential. For landowners, investors, and real estate professionals, understanding this story is critical. This is where farmland classifications come into play. These classifications are the language of land productivity. They tell you what the land can grow, how sustainable it is for intensive farming, and ultimately, what it is worth. If you own agricultural land or help clients buy and sell rural properties, understanding farmland classifications is essential. These designations directly impact property values, tax rates, permitted uses, and long-term investment potential.
You can learn more about your land and it's soil types and estimated value with a free LandApp Property Report. Find your parcel on our map to export your PDF report, then navigate to the Land page to see what your farmland is worth:
What are Farmland Classifications?
Farmland classifications are systematic categorizations that assess agricultural land based on its quality, productivity, and suitability for farming. These classifications consider factors like soil composition, drainage, climate considerations, topography, and erosion risk to determine how effectively land can support crop production. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) developed these systems that you can think of as grading systems for land. Some soils get an "A+" for being deep, well-drained, and nutrient-rich. Others might get a lower grade because they are too rocky, too steep, or prone to flooding.
The 8 Farmland Classes: Land Capability Classification
The most widely recognized system in the United States is the Land Capability Classification (LCC) developed by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. This system divides land into eight classes, with Class I being the most suitable for agriculture and Class VIII having severe limitations that restrict its use.
Class I-IV: Prime Agricultural Land: These classifications represent the highest quality farmland with few limitations. Class I land has minimal restrictions and can support a wide variety of crops with standard farming practices. As you move from Class I to Class IV, limitations increase slightly- whether from drainage issues, erosion risk, or climate factors- but these lands still remain highly productive with proper management.
Class V-VIII: Land with Greater Limitations: Land in these categories faces more significant challenges. Class V through VII lands may be suitable for pasture, rangeland, or limited cultivation with intensive conservation practices. Class VIII land typically has severe restrictions that make it unsuitable for commercial crop production, though it may serve other purposes like wildlife habitat or recreation.
Prime and Other Important Farmlands, Explained
Important farmlands include prime farmland, unique farmland, and farmland of statewide or local importance.
Prime Farmland
Prime farmland is the highest-quality farmland. It has the best combination of physical and chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, forage, fiber, and oilseed crops. It includes cultivated land, pastureland, forestland, or other types of land, but excludes urban areas, developed land, and water bodies. The soil must have the quality, growing season, and moisture needed to sustainably produce high crop yields with proper management, including effective water use and suitable farming methods.
Characteristics: Prime Farmland has an adequate and dependable water supply, favorable temperature and growing season, acceptable acidity or alkalinity, and few or no rocks. It is not prone to erosion or flooding, and slopes generally range from 0 to 6 percent.
Usage: You can farm this land intensively with minimal conservation measures. It is the most versatile and valuable land available.
Realtor Tip: This is your easiest sell. It appeals to institutional investors and serious farmers looking to expand operations.
Unique Farmland
Unique farmland is land other than prime farmland that is highly suitable for farming, but is used for producing specific high-value food and fiber crops. These can include citrus, tree nuts, olives, cranberries, and other fruits and vegetables. Unlike prime farmland, it is not based on national criteria. Instead, it is commonly found in areas with a special microclimate, like the wine country in California.
Characteristics: The soil has the ideal combination of quality, growing season, moisture, temperature, humidity, air drainage, elevation, and orientation to sustainably produce high crop yields when properly managed. The water supply is reliable and of sufficient quality. Proximity to markets is also an important factor.
Usage: Unique farmland produces specialty crops like citrus, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. It's crucial for agriculture because it supports specific, valuable crops that other lands can't, playing a role in regional food security.
Realtor Tip: When selling unique farmland with specialty crops, list it near the peak growing season. Use professional photos (including drone shots) to highlight the property. Emphasize crop history, soil health, and potential profits. Target specialized buyers through niche marketing, prepare detailed records (deeds, yields, financials), and consider any tax implications.
Farmland of Statewide Importance
Land that is vital for producing food, feed, fiber, forage, and oilseed crops but doesn't meet the criteria for prime or unique farmland is often designated as farmland of statewide importance. State agencies set the specific criteria for this classification. The category typically includes soil types that nearly meet prime farmland standards and can produce high yields with proper management. It can also encompass land tracts designated for agriculture by state law.
Characteristics: It might be steeper than prime land, have slightly higher erosion risk, or hold less water, but it is still highly suitable for crop production due to its high-quality soils.
Usage: Farmland of statewide importance is still highly productive, but requires careful management. Farmers might need to use contour farming, strip cropping, or specialized tillage to protect the soil.
Realtor Tip: This land offers great value. It is often priced lower than prime farmland, but can still produce excellent yields with the right management.
Farmland of Local Importance
Farmland of Local Importance is land that's crucial for local crop production, but doesn't fall into the prime, unique, or statewide importance categories. Farmland of local importance is identified by the appropriate local agencies, and it can include tracts of land that have been designated for agriculture by local ordinance.
Characteristics: Often consists of soils that support crop production but may not meet the criteria for prime or unique farmland. It plays a vital role in supporting local agricultural economies and communities and may include smaller plots of land, pasturelands, or areas with varying productivity levels.
Usage: Suitable for diverse agricultural uses depending on local climate, soil conditions, and farming practices.
Realtor Tip: Properties designated for agriculture may present a unique opportunity for those interested in farming or ranching. However, it is important to research local regulations and restrictions before purchasing such property to ensure its intended use aligns with zoning requirements.
Why are Farmland Classifications Important?
Farmland classifications aren't just academic data- it's practical information that dictates what you can realistically grow (crop yields), how much you'll spend on resources like fertilizer or irrigation (management costs), and whether the land is prone to issues like erosion (conservation needs). The farmland classification of a specific parcel drives decision-making in three key areas: property value, land use strategy, and risk management. For a realtor or broker, this data is the difference between selling a "potential vineyard" and selling a "scenic pasture." For a landowner, it determines the ceiling of your land’s agricultural revenue.
Importance of Farmland Classifications for Land Realtors
The value of agricultural land is heavily tied to productivity. Prime farmland commands a significant premium over "marginal" land. When an appraiser looks at a farm, they aren't just looking at the barn and the fences; they are looking at the soil map. If you are trying to determine how to price farmland for sale, knowing that the property has high-quality soil can give you leverage to price the property at a premium.
Additionally, farmland classifications are critical selling points that help you accurately market properties and set appropriate pricing. Buyers increasingly want detailed information about soil quality and agricultural potential before making offers. Similarly, these classifications also help identify development potential. Land transitioning out of agriculture often faces zoning considerations tied to its agricultural classification, making this information crucial for clients evaluating properties for future development or conservation.
Being able to clearly communicate a property's classification and what it means for productivity gives you a competitive edge and builds trust with clients. Imagine walking on a property with a client. They ask, "Is that back field good for corn?" Instead of guessing, you pull out your phone, open an app, and show them the soil map in real-time. You can instantly confirm, "Yes, that's Class II Prime Farmland," or advise, "Actually, that section is better suited for pasture due to the slope." This level of immediate, data-backed expertise builds massive trust.
Importance of Farmland Classifications for Landowners
Understanding your land's classification helps you determine the best crops to grow on your farmland and make informed decisions about its best use, whether that's row crops, orchards, livestock, or conservation programs. It also affects your eligibility for agricultural tax benefits, conservation easements, and USDA programs. Higher-class farmland often qualifies for preferential property tax treatment that can result in substantial savings. Similarly, higher-quality farmland can also help you negotiate better agricultural land leases with tenant farmers. If you know your land is prime farmland, you can justify a higher rental rate per acre.
Matching the land use to its classification is key to ensuring long-term sustainability and profitability. Attempting to force high-intensity crops onto low-classification land is a recipe for financial loss and environmental damage. High-quality land is best suited for row crops, vegetables, and other high-value agriculture, whereas lower-quality land might be better for pasture, timber, or recreational use like hunting leases. If you are struggling to grow crops in a certain corner of your property, a soil map might reveal that you are fighting against nature, suggesting a switch to timber or conservation easements would be more profitable.
Importance of Farmland Classifications for Buyers
For anyone looking to buy or invest in farmland, understanding the classification of the properties you're considering is absolutely critical. This knowledge is a powerful tool that can help you avoid the common pitfall of overpaying for a piece of land that appears promising but will ultimately require expensive inputs and amendments to become productive. Failing to consider the land's classification could lead to a purchase that disappoints in terms of both yield and return on investment.
Another reason that farmland classifications are important for buyers is for financing and risk management, because banks and agricultural lenders use these classifications to assess risk. A loan for a farming operation on Class 1 soil is less risky than one on Class 4 soil because the yields are more predictable. If you are financing a purchase, the soil classification will likely come up in the loan approval process.
How to Check Land's Farmland Classification
Traditionally, finding out whether or not your land is prime farmland meant visiting a local county office, digging through dusty soil survey books, or navigating complex government websites that weren't built for mobile phones. Today, technology has democratized this data. You don't need a degree in agronomy to see what lies beneath the grass. Modern mapping tools like LandApp overlay these USDA soil datasets directly onto satellite imagery. This allows you to see exactly where the prime farmland ends and the non-arable farmland begins, right down to the property lines.
Don't guess about the quality of the land. See it for yourself. With LandApp, you can instantly view a nationwide map of farmland classifications, see detailed soil categories, and gain the insights you need to make confident land decisions.
Download LandApp for free today on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
