How do I check soil test history on cropland I plan to buy?

Start with the paper trail. Ask for lab reports, the field maps they refer to, and the fertilizer and lime records that sit beside them. A test with no map reference tells you little, because you cannot tell which field it describes. Check whether the same fields were sampled in the same way each time, since a change in depth or timing can make the trend look better or worse than it is.

Compare the tests with what the land has grown. If yields have held while nutrient levels slid, the field may be living off past reserves. If levels climbed, ask what was spent to get there and whether that spending will need to continue. Ask about drainage, salinity, compaction and any field the seller treats differently from the rest, and why.

Then confirm in person. Walk the fields with the seller and look for patchy emergence, pale crops or standing water. Consider paying for fresh samples before closing so you have your own baseline. Your accountant can tell you how any soil amendments you have to make after closing might be treated, and your lawyer can add a clause on what the seller has disclosed.

Key takeaways

• Ask for every report, tied to a field map and a sample date.
• Read the trend over several tests, not a single sheet.
• Take your own fresh samples before closing as a baseline.