Iowa farmland values have dropped four out of the last five years in the Iowa State University survey, but some farmland owners are still optimistic that will change in the new year, Radio Iowa reports. ISU economist Wendong Zhang, who conducts the annual survey, says one-third of those surveyed expect a modest decline, while 15 percent see no change coming. “Five years from now a vast majority of people are thinking the land value will be higher than the current level,” Zhang said.