Farmer Entitled to Crop Proceeds But Owes Fair Market Rent for Avoided Lease

Despite allegations of a void backdated lease, a farmer was entitled to the proceeds from wheat he planted while leasing farmland from a bankrupt land partnership (Kaler v. Slominski (In re Keeley & Grabanski Land P’ship), 2015 BL 148323, B.A.P. 8th Cir., 14-6037, 5/14/15).

The evidence that the lease had been backdated did not warrant a new trial, but the appellate court reversed the bankruptcy court’s calculation of what the farmer was owed for planting crops on the leased land. The court also affirmed that the farmer was liable for the fair market value of the lease. ...