Soil Classifications
Updated: Jul 29
What Do Class I Through Class VIII Soils Really Mean?
By Joe Bush Associate Broker, Cruikshank Realty Licensed in Colorado & Kansas
Understanding Land Capability Classes
When looking at farm and ranch listings, you may occasionally see comments such as:
"Predominantly Class II soils."
or
"Mostly Class III dryland."
For many buyers these statements don't mean very much.
What exactly is Class II soil?
Is it good?
Is it poor?
How does it affect the value of a farm?
These are excellent questions, and understanding the answers can help buyers, landowners, lenders, and investors make much better decisions.
One of the most useful tools available for evaluating agricultural land is the USDA Land Capability Classification System.
Although it does not predict crop yields, it provides an excellent indication of a soil's potential productivity and the limitations that may affect long-term farming or ranching.
What Is the Land Capability Classification System?
The Land Capability Classification System was developed by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to group soils according to their long-term agricultural capability.
Rather than evaluating ownership, improvements, or current management, the system evaluates the natural characteristics of the soil and landscape.
Some of the factors considered include:
Soil depth
Water-holding capacity
Slope
Erosion potential
Drainage
Flooding hazard
Salinity
Rock content
Climate limitations
These factors determine how easily soil can be farmed and how intensive that farming can be without causing long-term degradation.
The Eight Land Capability Classes
A simple way to think about the classes is this:
As the class number increases, the limitations become greater.
Soil Class | General Agricultural Capability |
Class I | Very few limitations |
Class II | Moderate limitations |
Class III | Significant limitations requiring careful management |
Class IV | Severe limitations; restricted crop choices |
Class V | Generally unsuitable for cultivation but useful for pasture |
Class VI | Grazing, range, or wildlife habitat |
Class VII | Very limited agricultural use |
Class VIII | Recreation, wildlife, watershed, or conservation |
Class I Soils
These are considered the premier agricultural soils.
They are nearly level, deep, well-drained, easy to work, and capable of producing a wide variety of crops with relatively few management concerns.
Characteristics include:
Excellent water infiltration
High water-holding capacity
Minimal erosion risk
Excellent rooting depth
High long-term productivity
In the Midwest, many of the highest-valued farms are predominantly Class I soils.
Class II Soils
Class II soil remains excellent agricultural land but have one or more moderate limitations.
Examples include:
Gentle slopes
Moderate erosion hazard
Slight wetness
Somewhat reduced water-holding capacity
These soils often produce excellent crops when managed properly and represent a large percentage of productive farmland throughout eastern Colorado and western Kansas.
Class III Soils
Class III soils have more significant limitations.
Successful farming is certainly possible, but management becomes much more important.
Common limitations include:
Greater erosion risk
Lower moisture-holding capacity
Reduced rooting depth
Salinity concerns
Greater drought sensitivity
Many productive dryland wheat and grain sorghum farms in the High Plains contain predominantly Class III soils.
With proper residue management, crop rotation, and conservation practices, these soils can remain productive for generations.
Class IV Soils
These soils possess severe limitations that restrict crop choices and often require intensive conservation practices.
Examples include:
Steeper slopes
High erosion potential
Shallow rooting depth
Limited available moisture
They may still be cultivated but cropping options become much more limited.
Classes V Through VIII
These soils generally are not well suited for continuous cultivation.
Instead, they are often better adapted for:
Native rangeland
Grazing
Wildlife habitat
Recreation
Watershed protection
Many excellent cattle ranches throughout eastern Colorado contain predominantly Class VI and VII soils.
Although these soils may not be suitable for row crop farming, they can provide outstanding forage production under proper grazing management.
This illustrates an important point:
Lower capability class does not necessarily mean lower value.
The highest and best use of the land determines its value.
A productive ranch may consist almost entirely of Class VI soils and still command significant market value because it is being used exactly as the land was intended.
How Can Buyers Use Soil Class Information?
Understanding soil capability allows buyers to better estimate:
Long-term productivity
Management requirements
Erosion risk
Water requirements
Crop adaptability
Potential income
Conservation needs
It also provides another piece of objective information when comparing two similar farms.
For example:
Farm A may contain mostly Class II soils.
Farm B may contain mostly Class IV soils.
Although both farms contain the same number of acres, Farm A generally offers greater cropping flexibility and fewer production risks.
That difference often influences market value.
Why Doesn't Soil Class Tell the Entire Story?
While Land Capability Classes provide valuable information, they do not measure productivity directly.
Two Class II soils may produce very different crop yields depending upon:
Annual rainfall
Irrigation
Soil fertility
Organic matter
Management practices
Crop rotation
Available water rights
That is why professional agricultural evaluations often combine several tools rather than relying on only one measurement.
Looking Ahead
The Land Capability Classification System answers one important question:
"What are the natural limitations of this soil?"
Our next article will introduce another valuable USDA tool known as the National Commodity Crop Productivity Index (NCCPI).
Unlike Land Capability Classes, which classify soils according to their limitations, NCCPI estimates the relative productivity of soils for producing commodity crops.
Together, these two systems provide one of the strongest foundations for understanding agricultural land productivity and value.
Final Thoughts
Whether you are purchasing cropland or ranchland, the first investment should be in understanding the soil. Price, improvements, fences, and even rainfall are important, but they cannot overcome the limitations imposed by poor soils.
For cropland, soil capability is the foundation of long-term productivity and profitability. It influences yield potential, water-holding capacity, nutrient availability, erosion risk, and management requirements. Two farms of similar size can have dramatically different earning potential simply because of differences in soil quality.
The same principle applies to ranchland. The productivity of a pasture is determined not only by the amount of rainfall it receives, but by the soil’s ability to capture, store, and supply that moisture to forage plants. Deep, productive soils with good water-holding capacity frequently produce significantly more grass than shallow or drought-prone soils receiving the same amount of precipitation. In many situations, soil quality has as much influence on forage production as rainfall itself—and sometimes even more.
Before evaluating the asking price of a property, evaluate the soil. A thorough understanding of the land’s soil resources is one of the best predictors of its long-term agricultural productivity, carrying capacity, sustainability, and value.
Remember: In agriculture, everything begins with the soil.
Joe's Soil Tip
Never judge a farm by the number of acres alone.
Before comparing prices, compare the soil capability classes, available water, and productivity ratings. Whether you are purchasing or leasing farmland, begin your evaluation with the soil.
In agriculture, everything begins with the soil. It is the foundation upon which every successful farming operation is built. Regardless of advances in equipment, seed genetics, precision agriculture, or technology, the soil's inherent qualities and limitations largely determine a property's productive potential. Good management can improve productivity, but it cannot completely overcome the natural limitations of the soil.
Before investing significant time or capital in a property, take the time to understand its soils. Review the USDA Soil Survey, determine the Land Capability Classes (Classes I–VIII), evaluate productivity ratings such as NCCPI, and consider water availability, slope, drainage, salinity, erosion risk, and other limiting factors. These characteristics often have a greater influence on long-term profitability than the asking price alone.
Two farms of identical size may appear very similar from the road, yet one may consistently outperform the other for decades because of differences that are hidden beneath the surface. Those differences affect yield potential, production costs, management flexibility, and ultimately the value of the land.
Start with the soil before considering the purchase price or negotiating a lease agreement. A thorough understanding of a property's soils can help you recognize opportunities, avoid costly mistakes, and make better long-term investment decisions. Throughout agricultural history, many producers have learned that purchasing or leasing land with significant soil limitations—without fully understanding those limitations—can become an expensive lesson.
Remember: Acres tell you how much land you are buying. The soil tells you what that land is capable of producing."Long before soil surveys, productivity indexes, and satellite imagery, Scripture recognized the importance of the ground beneath our feet. Throughout the Bible, fertile soil symbolizes productivity, stewardship, and blessing. As modern agriculture has confirmed, the quality of the soil remains the foundation upon which every successful farming and ranching operation is built."
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