FENNIMORE, WI -- (Marketwire) -- 08/02/10 -- Farmland buyers continued their focus on quality Saturday, July 31, when four Wisconsin farms sold for prices as high as $6,667 per acre, according to Schrader Real Estate & Auction Company, which conducted the sale. The 771 acres brought a total price of $2,805,000, or an average of $3,638 per acre.

"There's no doubt that quality is still bringing a premium," said R.D. Schrader, president of the company, which sold the farms for Merrill J. Oster, president of Oster Partners LP and co-founder of Pro Farmer newsletter.

The 41 registered bidders placed the highest value of $6,667 per acre on a 78-acre tract near Glen Haven, most of which consisted of high-quality Tama soil.

"We've been seeing the emphasis on quality for well over a year now, but it's never been more clear than it was in Wisconsin. Across the board, even for the lower quality land, we got prices that were on the strong side even by the standards of today's healthy market for tillable land," said Schrader. Prices on other tracts ranged from $5,000 per acre to $2,063 per acre. The lower prices went for land that include recreational and non-tillable acreage as well as over 250 acres with a conversation easement.

"This sale was all about productivity," said Schrader.

Schrader Real Estate & Auction Company is the nation's leading auctioneer specializing in the sale of farmland and timberland throughout the United States. Upcoming sales include Christmas tree farms in Michigan, recreational land in Kentucky, and riverfront development land in Niles, Mich. Individuals seeking more information may visit www.schraderauction.com or call 800-451-2709. More auction information.