As with any relationship, you must invest time and effort to build a rapport with your landlord. “Communication can make or break a relationship between a tenant and landowner,” says Karisha Devlin, a University of Missouri field specialist.

With just six quick notes a year, you can provide real, relevant information to your landlords.

“As farm ground transfers to the next generation, the risk tolerance level of that next generation may not be there to handle the one-third/two-thirds arrangement,” says Matt Splitter, a Kansas farmer. “Cash rent is always available to our landlords, but we’ve really been promoting a net-share lease.”