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Easement Agreements/Contracts

 

Preservation of Rural Iowa Alliance encouraged landowners who were part of the RICL project NOT to sign voluntary easements.  This sent a strong message to the IUB and was one of our strongest arguments to stop RICL. 

 

We also emphasize the importance of fully understanding the easement agreement and contacting your attorney to review the agreement.  If you choose to meet with a land agent, have your attorney present, be well informed, and be prepared to ask questions. 

Sample Easement Agreement 

 

Understand

Your

Easement 

Sample Easement Agreement

 

Click to read a scanned copy of an easement agreement.  Your agreement can be obtained by meeting with a land agent or in some cases RICL has sent packets which includes your easement agreement.  

You are not required to meet with a land agent and you may call RICL and request a copy of your easement agreement.

 

Click to download and read a "Tenant/Lessee Recognition" form. 

  • If there is a tenant farming the property, RICL  will ask the landowner and tenant to sign a “Tenant/Lessee Recognition” form. 

  • The purpose of this document is (1) for the tenant to acknowledge that the landowner has entered into the Easement Agreement and (2) for the landowner and tenant to agree on how they would like crop damages to be distributed among them. 

  • If a tenant does not sign this agreement, all crop damages will be paid directly to the landowner, who may then distribute any damage payments  to the tenant according to their separate agreement.

 

 

Presentation 

 

Click here to view pod cast presented by  Roger A. McEowen  Director of the ISU Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation and Kristine Tidgren, staff attorney.  The presentation examines the RICL easement agreement and potential red flags.

 

Click to read  "Understand That Easement Agreement Before You Sign It"

By Roger A. McEowen and Kristine A. Tidgren, April 4, 2014

Additional Information

 

Click to read press release "Understand that Easement Contract Before You Sign It"

 

Check our Legal page for more information regarding voluntary easements and the use of eminent domain by RICL.  

 

Click to read  a document about not signing voluntary easements. 

Click to read about the eminent domain process.

 

Click to read "Frequently Asked Questions About Eminent Domain" on the IUB website.

 

 

Important: Land agents must abide by RICL's Code of Conduct.  Contact the Alliance if you feel the land agent has not done so.  Click to read this document. 

 

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