Big-Money Investors Gear Up For A Trillion-Dollar Bet On Farm Land
A trillion dollars worth of American farmland will change hands in the coming years. Wealthy investors are likely to buy more of it, with the power to shape rural communities and the environment.
For a glimpse of what could happen to a trillion dollars worth of American farmland, meet Ray Williams.
He's a lawyer-turned-farmer, growing organic grain and feeding young cows on 3000 acres in northeastern Oregon. Last year, he and his brother Tom decided that they were getting too old for the long hours and hard work.
"We told our clients, you don't want to rely on senior citizens for your high quality organic products. Trust me on this!" says Williams, age 68.
Their farm sold for $23 million. The buyer was a company registered in Delaware, with a mailing address in Manhattan. The people behind that company wish to remain anonymous.
This left Williams with a pile of money to invest — and he parked almost $3 million of it in farmland halfway
