Farming in Polk County, Iowa

Broader context

Without reviewed regional crop guidance for Iowa, the most reliable next step is the state's Extension service, which publishes crop, forage and livestock information for its own regions and can tell you what is commonly grown in Polk County. The links below cover the essentials for any county.

• USDA NASS Quick Stats for crops historically produced in the county (statistics, not a suitability test)
• USDA plant hardiness map for winter cold limits on perennials (not annual crops)
• NRCS Web Soil Survey for mapped soils (a map is not a soil test)
• Crop and enterprise guides for what each enterprise needs from the land

Local help for Polk County

County offices are best found through each agency's locator. Our directory is curated, not a complete list of local providers. All Iowa resources

• Iowa State University Extension and OutreachIowa

  Iowa's land-grant Extension service, with county offices and agronomy and livestock specialists. Its crops, soils and livestock programs publish Iowa-specific production guidance.

  Cooperative ExtensionServes: Statewide (Iowa), through county officesVerified Oct 30, 2026 (source)Report a correction

• NACD Conservation District DirectoryNationwide

  National Association of Conservation Districts directory page with a way to find your local conservation district. Districts are local groups that often work with landowners and NRCS on soil, water and conservation questions.

  Soil and conservationServes: NationwideVerified Oct 30, 2026 (source)Report a correction

• USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher CoordinatorsNationwide

  List of state coordinators who help new farmers and ranchers find USDA programs. The page asks you to reach out with details such as the location of your operation, so have a county or parcel in mind.

  USDA offices and programsServes: NationwideVerified Oct 30, 2026 (source)Report a correction

• USDA Service CentersNationwide

  Farmers.gov explains what a USDA Service Center is and how to get started there. Service centers are where a buyer or new farmer can reach Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Rural Development staff.

  USDA offices and programsServes: NationwideFind a local officeVerified Oct 30, 2026 (source)Report a correction

• Iowa State Ag Decision Maker: Estimating Farm Machinery CostsIowa

  Iowa State Extension decision tool and publication for estimating farm machinery costs. Useful for comparing owning, renting and custom hire.

  Equipment, rental and custom hireServes: Iowa (method applies widely)Verified Oct 30, 2026 (source)Report a correction

• Iowa State Ag Decision Maker: Iowa Farm Custom Rate SurveyIowa

  Iowa State Extension's survey of custom rates for farm operations, with a link to custom rate data from other states. A reference for judging what custom hire could look like, using current numbers from the source.

  Equipment, rental and custom hireServes: Iowa survey (links to data from other states)Verified Oct 30, 2026 (source)Report a correction

No public university soil lab is listed for Iowa. See soil testing options.

Farm and ranch listings in Polk County

1 participating MyStateMLS listings (active, for sale). Each listing's own details decide what it can support; the guidance above does not.

For sale

Save 4900 E Watrous Ave, Des Moines, IA 50320

$800,168

No home reported

Cropland

• Tillable or cropland

4900 E Watrous AveDes Moines, IA 50320

Listing courtesy of Farm & Rec Real Estate LLC · MyStateMLS #11964251

See all 1 listings in Polk County