WINNEBAGO, NE – Ho-Chunk Farms, the tribally-owned farming enterprise of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, has reached a milestone in 2025 by distributing a record-breaking $2.1 million in land lease payments to the tribe and its members – the largest payout in the company’s history.
Aaron LaPointe, who helps oversee Ho-Chunk Farms, said the company’s continued growth is directly tied to its commitment to strengthening the local economy.
“This year, we expanded from 6,500 to 7,500 farmable acres, with the majority of those new leases coming from tribal land,” said LaPointe. “That growth led to a significant increase in payments – both to the tribe and to individual landowners.”
Cory Cleveland, who manages Ho-Chunk Farms, said they paid about $1.4 million to the Winnebago Tribe and about $570,000 to tribal members. These funds were disbursed on March 1st. Ho-Chunk Farms, a division of Ho-Chunk, Inc., attributes much of this success to the Winnebago Tribe’s own laws and land policies, which have helped shield the tribe’s landowners from broader economic volatility.
“While the farm economy is under stress and commodity prices are falling, we’ve managed not only to hold value, but increase average lease rates,” said LaPointe.
The company’s presence has provided stability during turbulent times, serving as a buffer between landowners and the market’s unpredictability.
“Without a strong tribally-owned farm business, lease rates could have taken a hit – but we’ve helped preserve that value for our people,” said LaPointe.
Ho-Chunk Farms currently manages most of the reservation’s farmable land and continues to play a key role in both economic development and land stewardship within the Winnebago community.
