Flex Lease Computations Spreadsheet Tool

by Michael Langemeier

Updated August 2025

This spreadsheet can be used alongside the articles Comparing Net Returns for Alternative Leasing Arrangements  and Flexible Cash Lease Comparisons to compute cash rents and net returns for a specific year for 75% and 90% base cash rent leases. Users can enter custom values for crop budget line items, yields, prices, and payments to calculate lease rates and earnings per acre. The tool is useful for both landowners and tenants.

TAGS:

TEAM LINKS:

RELATED RESOURCES

2027 Crop Cost & Return Guide

September 17, 2026

Purdue’s first 2027 crop budgets provide a starting point for estimating crop costs, revenues and returns. Use the accompanying spreadsheet to adjust the assumptions for your own farm.

2026 Cash Rents: Why Aren’t Rents Falling More?

September 10, 2026

Cash rents have softened in some parts of Indiana in 2026, but overall, rents remain relatively stable. So why aren’t they falling more, even after several years of weaker returns to land? Michael Langemeier and Todd Kuethe examine the latest cash rent results from the 2026 Purdue Farmland Values and Cash Rents Survey and look at what the numbers could mean for 2027.

Comparing Net Returns for Alternative Leasing Arrangements

July 2, 2026

Leases on agricultural land are strongly influenced by local custom and tradition. However, in most areas, landowners and operators can choose from several types of lease arrangements: crop share, fixed cash rent, flexible cash leases. Each leasing arrangement has advantages and disadvantages. Rather than focusing on the advantages and disadvantages of various lease arrangements, this article uses a case farm in west central Indiana to illustrate net returns to land derived from crop share, fixed cash rent, and flexible cash lease arrangements.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Weathering Water Extremes: Connecting Soil Health, Drainage, Irrigation, and Farm Resilience

Join educators from across the Midwest to build skills for communicating soil health concepts on Nov. 4-5, 2026. In the field, we’ll evaluate the relationship between soil health and water management focusing on irrigation and edge of field practices. The in-service will have both classroom and on farm demonstrations.

Land of Opportunity: A Conference for Farmland Owners!

The Land of Opportunity: A Conference for Farmland Owners will be held at two locations on October 5 and October 6, providing farmland owners with valuable information and resources to help them make informed decisions about their land. The conference will feature keynote presentations, educational breakout sessions, and networking opportunities designed specifically for those who own, manage, or have an interest in farmland.