Australia

An influx of foreign funds seeking Australian farmland has pushed lawmakers to consider legislation that would increase scrutiny of overseas purchases after foreign ownership of land almost doubled since 1984.

While interest in Australian agricultural land is coming from all quarters, it is the prospect of sovereign investment to shore up a nation's food security that is attracting the most attention.

A new report from ABARES which indicates little change in the level of foreign ownership of Australian farm land since the 1980s has been described as a "whitewash" by Shadow Agriculture and Food Security Minister, John Cobb.

Un rapport, publié le 18 janvier par le bureau australien de l'agriculture, relance la question de l'importance des investissements étrangers en Australie où 11,3% des terres agricoles (44 mds d'ha) appartiennent en partie ou totalement à des étrangers

A report from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural Research Economic and Sciences shows the amount of farmland that is either partly or wholly foreign-owned has increased by nearly 60 per cent since the early 1980s.

Report examines the driving factors behind foreign investment in Australian agriculture and describes processes by which foreign investment in farmland is monitored and regulated in Australia and other selected countries.

Chinese company presidents met with Australian officials and company reps in Sydney to discuss ag investments, ranging from a $25 million, 20,000 ha cotton farm to a $350 million farmland purchase in ­Western ­Australia and Queensland.

Geldanlagen in der Landwirtschaft sind gefragt. Der amerikanische Großinvestor Jim Rogers rät dazu, Ackerland kaufen. Und zwar in Australien.

The level and manner of foreign investment in Australian agriculture is sounding alarm bells amid growing concern that the nation's own food security could be compromised.

Foreign investment in agricultural assets would be subject to much greater scrutiny under a Coalition government, says Australia's shadow treasurer.

Overseas investors are snapping up prime agricultural land and rural enterprises, triggering concerns we're selling off the farm.

Foreign investors have spent a record $12 billion buying up Australian farmland and agricultural businesses over the past year, but have put off investing a further $14 billion until the outcome of a Senate inquiry in March 2012, a new report by Ferrier Hodgson says.