The Lay of the Land® Conference brought together landowners, investors, and professionals from across Arkansas for a day of insight and conversation on the state’s resilient land market. Hosted by Saunders Land, a division of Saunders Real Estate, the event marked the firm’s first conference in Arkansas, building on a two-decade tradition of trusted market reporting and meaningful dialogue across the Southeast.
Held in Fayetteville on October 17, the land conference featured panels and presentations from leading experts in agriculture, forestry, economics, and tax strategy. Together, they offered a comprehensive look at the challenges and opportunities shaping land ownership in The Natural State.
Audio recordings from this year’s panels are now live on the In Our Expert Opinion Podcast, and select presentation slides are available to download for those who wish to explore the content further. The Arkansas land conference was made possible through the generous support of its event sponsors.
Current Trends and Challenges in Arkansas Agriculture
Moderated by Chance Creighton, Advisor with Saunders Land, the opening panel explored the pressures and prospects shaping Arkansas agriculture. Panelists Brandon DuRant of Saunders Real Estate, John L. Conner Jr. with Holden Conner, Mark Lambert from the Arkansas Farm Bureau, and Matthew Pope of Cultura discussed rising input costs, tight lending conditions, and uncertainty surrounding federal farm policy—all of which continue to challenge producers, particularly for small to mid-size operations.
Despite these headwinds, the panel expressed confidence in the long-term stability of Arkansas agriculture. Innovations in irrigation, precision technology, and the rise of specialty crops and renewable energy uses offer promising avenues for diversification. “Farmland in eastern Arkansas is a good investment,” said Pope. “I think it needs to be part of a well-diversified portfolio, and if you're buying right now, you need a couple of things. I think you need to understand quality, I think you really have to be maybe a little bit patient, and I think the most important thing is that you've got to have a very, very long-time horizon in this asset class.”
Arkansas’s Forestry Outlook
The following session highlighted both the strength and the strain within one of the state’s most vital industries: forestry. Greg Hay, Senior Advisor at Saunders Land, introduced Dr. Matthew Pelkki, Director of the Arkansas Center for Forest Business at the University of Arkansas, who explored the current state of Arkansas’s timber markets and what lies ahead.
Forests cover nearly 60% of Arkansas’s land area, contributing 25% of the state's agricultural GDP share, making it one of the most forestry-dependent states in the nation. However, Dr. Pelkki noted that mill closures, declining pulpwood prices, and a growing “wall of wood”—where annual forest growth continues to far exceed harvest levels—pose ongoing challenges.
Even so, the outlook carried a tone of resilience. Recent mill expansions, innovations in engineered wood products, and renewed attention to forest road infrastructure all point toward opportunity. As Pelkki emphasized, active management and market diversification remain essential to the long-term health of Arkansas’s forests.
Kyle Cunningham, State Forester
State Forester Kyle Cunningham, PhD, followed with a perspective from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, emphasizing forest health, fire resilience, and the importance of maintaining a strong workforce and infrastructure to support sustainable timber harvests. His remarks reinforced Dr. Pelkki’s call for proactive management, stressing that collaboration between public and private sectors will be vital to maintaining healthy forests and viable timber markets statewide.
Tax Reform & Estate Planning • Opportunities & Strategies
Tyler Davis, President at Saunders Real Estate, led a practical session on tax reform and estate planning as major provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 near expiration. Davis reviewed potential changes such as the sunsetting of estate tax exemptions, gift tax adjustments, and the return of full bonus depreciation, along with new opportunities created under the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
At the state level, Davis discussed proposals for parts and labor tax exemptions aimed at easing operating costs for producers. He encouraged landowners to work with qualified professionals to preserve family assets and prepare for a shifting tax environment.
Economic Update for U.S. Agriculture
Dr. Bruce L. Ahrendsen, Professor of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at the University of Arkansas, delivered a national update connecting broad economic trends to conditions in Arkansas. He examined commodity prices, export markets, input costs, and interest rate effects on farms and cropland.
While inflation and higher borrowing costs continue to pressure margins, Ahrendsen described the U.S. ag economy as fundamentally strong, driven by steady consumer demand and producer adaptability. He also noted that infrastructure investments in Brazil and Uruguay, often supported by Chinese funding, are reshaping global grain markets and affecting U.S. export competitiveness. He concluded by emphasizing the need for risk management and operational efficiency as producers navigate ongoing volatility.
Lay of the Land Market Update
The conference concluded with the Lay of the Land Market Update, presented by David Hill, Regional Managing Director at Saunders Real Estate in Fayetteville. Supported by verified land sales data from the Saunders Research Team, the session provided a clear overview of Arkansas’s real estate market across timberland, farmland, recreational, and transitional properties.
Hill noted that while transaction volume has softened slightly under tighter financial conditions, values remain stable due to limited supply and continued investor confidence. Farms and cropland continue to attract both producers and investors, timberland has held firm despite pulpwood challenges, and hunting and recreational land near growth corridors maintain strong appeal.
The update closed by reaffirming Saunders Real Estate’s commitment to transparent, data-backed market reporting, a hallmark of the Lay of the Land Market Report for nearly two decades.
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Building Connections & Moving Forward
The Lay of the Land® Conference reinforced a central message: informed land ownership is the foundation of long-term success. Beyond the panels, the event fostered meaningful connections as landowners, investors, and professionals exchanged ideas surrounding Arkansas’s land economy.
Each session reflected a shared commitment to stewardship, innovation, and collaboration across the state’s agricultural and forestry communities. Saunders Real Estate extends sincere thanks to the partners, speakers, and attendees whose participation made the conference a success—and whose insights continue to shape how landowners develop their legacy across Arkansas and the Southeast.
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