The majority of rural land transfers--that is, when the ownership of a parcel of land changes hands--in 1985-86 were arm’s length sales. While arm's length sales accounted for most of the acres transferred, these tracts were half the size of tracts sold to relatives and a fourth the size of tracts sold in distress sales or foreclosures. Land transfers caused little change in rural land use; most land remains in agricultural use. Most new owners of transferred land were husband and wife and worked in occupations unrelated to farming.