US

Land is becoming increasingly more coveted by transnational agribusiness and financial investors.

Thousands of miles from pricey U.S. farmland, a Michigan pension fund is expanding its investments in Australian farms, betting on good returns from the comparatively cheaper assets and surging commodity prices.

The Partnership League for Africa’s Development presents the STOP Africa Land Grab Concert to bring awareness to the on-going massive land acquisition in Africa by foreign investors.

Taking aim at one of the less-traveled areas of private equity, Agriculture Capital Management is targeting $250 million for a debut fund called ACM Permanent Crops.

DGC Asset Management, a UK-based agriculture investment company, is launching its first farmland investment vehicle, offering investments into US-based blueberry farms, next month.

The Swedish pension fund is considering increasing its exposure to Southern Pastures, a New Zealand dairy farm fund, alongside six other investors including the New Mexico Education Retirement Board.

US pension fund manager TIAA-CREF, under pressure to put cash to work after having raised $2bn for TIAA-CREF Global Agriculture, agreed to purchase 12,528 ha of farmland in Florida.

Chiquita Brands International received an unsolicited offer on Monday from two Brazilian companies, including private equity fund and farmland owner Safra Group.

A US pension fund investor that flies under the radar has continued its spending spree on quality agricultural land in WA with the purchase of two farms in Grass Patch for about $9 million.

Wall Street is looking for ways to invest in America’s heartland, and the government is ready to play matchmaker.

A small but growing group of sophisticated investors and bankers are combining crops and the soil they grow in into an asset class that ordinary investors can buy a piece of.

Interest in land from high-net-worth investors is up at a time when stocks hover near record highs and bonds could be hurt by rising interest rates.