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.

The world’s largest manager of farmland assets, Nuveen Natural Capital, has taken advantage of Treasury Wine Estates’ decision to downsize its commercial wine business after acquiring water rights and 434 ha of its orchards.

A government-commissioned report into the regulatory burden imposed on Australian farmers has advised the federal government to lift "red tape" surrounding foreign investment in local agriculture.

A new register of agricultural land will not be made public despite the Government's promise to provide more transparency over foreign investment in Australian farms.

PriceWaterhouse Coopers' China desk leader says clients he advises on food and agriculture deals are mostly property developers and building materials companies looking to shift their capital base abroad, given the headwinds in the Chinese construction sector.

Foreign investors own 10% of Australia's agricultural land. But that could soon rise thanks to two huge projects being developed in Northern Territory's Top End with the help of foreign investors.

China's largest privately owned agribusiness company and the Perich family from Sydney are looking to buy a $100 million dairy in western New South Wales.

Mining billionaire Gina Rinehart is teaming up with the China National Machinery Industry Corporation to acquire a 5,000 ha dairy farm in Queensland to supply infant formula to China.

Close 60 per cent of ­farmers in a major new survey still believe there should be less foreign direct investment in Australian farms.

The 500,000-hectare station, located about 150 kilometres south-west of the Gulf of Carpentaria, is believed to have sold for about $33 million, and included about 28,000 head of mixed cattle in the contract.

Rural MPs, especially those from NSW and Queensland, have been fielding increasing complaints from constituents in recent months about the level of foreign ownership of Australian farms and agricultural businesses.

The deal is the second $100 million-plus farming transaction involving offshore investors this year, highlighting the global appeal of prime Australian farmland.

Chinese investment in Australian farmland has risen over the past year from about 1.5 million hectares to almost 14.5 million hectares.

Australian beef processor Bindaree Beef announced it has sold a 51 percent controlling stake in the family-owned company to Hong Kong-Australian billionaire, Hui Wing Mau, and Beijing-based equity fund Archstone Investment for approximately $120 million.

China’s investment in Australian agribusiness has tripled in just a year as China strives to meet rising demand for high-quality food among its growing middle class. Major agribusiness deals included acquisition of the S Kidman & Co cattle empire and acquisition of Tasmanian dairy giant Van Dieman’s Land.

Giant US investment fund TIAA-CREF expects Australia's ageing farmers and a lack of sons and daughters willing to inherit their farms will lead to large numbers of properties hitting the market over the coming decade.

The Coalition has increased scrutiny of foreign purchases of rural land, but how much is currently owned overseas and are the concerns valid?

Late on Wednesday night an Australian trust backed by Swiss, Danish and US fund managers agreed to pay more than $200 million for 12,000 hectares of almond groves in northern Victoria.

The Beidahuang Group has been dismayed by what it regards as negative media coverage of its investment in agricultural land in Australia and plans to scale back while it still purchases more farms.

According to asset managers, a window is emerging for institutional money to flow into agriculture due to change of ownership, notably in markets such as Australia and the US.

“I find it peculiar that a nation that is the venue for so much flow of funds from overseas to invest in our agricultural assets is not the same venue for Australian super funds to invest in,” ag minister Barnaby Joyce says.

Leading Australian economists, commentators and even political enemies have joined the federal Minister for Trade and Investment Craig Emerson in condemning Opposition plans to tighten control over foreign investment.

Australian agricultural asset manager Warakirri has announced it is targeting a $500m-plus expansion into the dairy farming sector via a new trans-Tasman investment fund.

Pressure is mounting on Australia's superannuation funds to invest in agricultural land as investors protest about the industry's decision not to try and buy Australia's largest landholder S Kidman & Co.

Australia's deputy prime minister on Tuesday urged the country's A$1.8 trillion (US$1.3 trillion) pension fund industry to boost its investment in agriculture as the sector gears up to meet strong demand from Asia.

Xingfa Ma takes on 40,000 head of cattle with the deal, which adds to his other Australian cattle stations and a wine group

The announcement of the sale - which is expected to attract significant foreign interest - comes a month after the government said it would clamp down on foreign ownership of agricultural land.

NeglectAssist is warning private investors to watch out for exotic Australian land investments promising both security and high returns.

Former Australian prime minister Bob Hawke lobbied Colin Barnett to allow a Chinese company to buy a large package of land in the Ord River.

The writing is on the wall for anyone who doubts China's plans to invest billions of dollars for a big stake in WA agriculture.