The New Farmland Trend: Farms As Investments

Investors who nothing about farming are increasingly buying farmland to round out their portfolios.

1 minute read

February 22, 2005, 11:00 AM PST

"Here in the heart of the Corn Belt, a majority of the folks who own farmland are not themselves farmers.

...Advocates for family farmers warn that if outside investors continue tobuy up land, it could have profound effects on rural America.

...Already, there are fewer and fewer families to anchor the vast fertileplains of the Midwest. One farmer today takes care of as much ground aseight or 10 farmers did a generation ago. When that farmer has no stakein the land or the crop, he has less incentive to tend the groundcarefully, to preserve its resources and habitats."

Thanks to The Practice of New Urbanism Listserv

FULL STORY: City Dwellers Plow Money Into Farmland

Sunday, February 20, 2005 in The Los Angeles Times

Land Use United States

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