CommonGround is staying laser-focused on its farmland marketplace and its recently launched insurance business.
According to USDA, as of Dec 31, 2022, foreign interests held 3.4% of all privately held agricultural land in the US, the ‘proverbial pimple on a whale,’ writes Ben Palen.
Agrifood VC funds grew from 42 in 2013 to more than 280 by the third quarter of 2023, though that growth has slowed in the last few years.
As smartphones have proliferated and technological advancements have enabled more transparency around agricultural products and pricing, farmers are gaining more trust in online tools as a means to do business and improve their finances.
When the team at NCH Agriculture, a $1bn agriculture investment business, founded Agroprosperis in 2006, they didn’t have a plan and understood little about farming. Today Agroprosperis is the largest producer of crops in the Black Sea region, and is returning 15% a year to its investors.
The FBN bridge loan tool helps farmers compete against cash offers and larger ag companies and investors when securing land.
Farmland real estate is a $3 trillion dollar industry that has historically lacked transparency. CommonGround is changing that by allowing landowners, farmers, and brokers to value their ground quickly and put it up for sale or lease via traditional listings or online auctions.
AFN’s most-read guest articles of the year debated the future of CEA, analyzed (a complete lack of) plant-based meat branding and more.
Tillable says its all-digital platform makes it easier and faster for farmers and landowners to research, finance, and manage land.
Widespread adoption of plant-based diets would result in lower emissions and higher carbon sequestration, researchers claim.
It has also struck partnerships with Farmer Mac and Indigo Ag, which will use the combined platforms to further their own financing and carbon offerings.
The deal originated when FarmlandFinder CEO Steven Brockshus sent a message to the real estate company CEO on LinkedIn looking for guidance on growth.
Gates isn’t the only one to have recognized that farmland investments can lead to solid returns.
FarmTogether offers accredited investors an opportunity to browse and buy into farmland opportunities through its Terra platform.
Illinois-based CashRent operates a marketplace that uses data to help farmers and landowners settle on an equitable price for farmland rentals.
Rodale Institute is backing Iroquios Valley, which focuses on boosting organic acreage in the US, to combat land access challenges for organic farmers.
“One of our first farms in Detroit went from $10,000 in revenue to $80,000 in revenue from our funding. It unlocked so much growth,” Steward CEO told AFN.
Investing in farmland has long been considered a viable and tangible alternative to paper markets, but finding an efficient and cost-effective way to profit from agriculture presents some challenges unique to the industry, writes Michael DeSa.
From major equipment manufacturers’ forays into robotics to the emergence of new startups looking to improve farmer awareness of field activity, here’s what to watch for in the year ahead in the US, according to experienced agtech entrepreneur Corbett Kull.
The Des Moines-based startup is leveling the playing field by providing all users with comprehensive data about potential farm purchases.
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