So, you think it would be okay to outbid by a small amount, but outbidding by a large amount is bad? 

Doesn't outbidding by a large amount effectively mean that they are 'giving' the landowner money which they presumably would not have to, if they could rent it by outbidding by a smaller amount?   This almost sounds like they are paying what they think is a fair price, regardless of what the competition would do.  I'm not real sure how that is to be construed as 'greedy.' 

If an auction determines a price of $400 per acre there had to be at least one other who thought it was worth $390.

My question is, if land is auctioned, and you want to rent it, how are you supposed to do it without outbidding someone?

If someone else outbids me on something, they didn't 'force' me to do anything.  I make my own decisions, one way or the other.