Terminating Oral Farm Leases

Farm leases are a common occurrence on land being developed for solar and wind energy projects, due to the size and rural nature of land sought for development. While title searches will discover written leases that are made of record with the county clerk, farm leases are often verbal "handshake" agreements, meaning they go undetected during a standard title search. It is always recommended to conduct a site visit and inquire as to the existence of any grazing or crop operations when entering into a real estate contract for land intended for development. If a farm tenant is leasing a portion of the project property, such lease may need to be terminated, particularly in the context of a solar energy project that will require more surface use of the land.