Why Bill Gates Is Buying Up U.S. Farmland

Bill Gates made headlines for becoming the largest private farmland owner in the U.S. But he’s not the only one. Some of the wealthiest landowners including Jeff Bezos, John Malone and Thomas Peterffy are buying up forests, ranches and farmlands across the United States. Why? Watch the video to find out.

Investments in farmland are growing across the country as people, including the ultra-wealthy like Bill Gates, look for new ways to grow their money.

In 2020, Gates made headlines for becoming the largest private farmland owner in the U.S. He had accumulated more than 269,000 acres of farmland across 18 states in less than a decade. His farmland grows onions, carrots and even the potatoes that are used to make McDonald’s French fries.

“It’s an asset with increasing value,” American Farmland Trust CEO John Piotti said. “It has great intrinsic value and beyond that, it is a limited resource.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that 30% of all farmland is owned by landlords who don’t farm themselves. Buyers often purchase land from farmers who have owned it for decades; many of whom may be asset rich but maybe cash poor.

“The economic realities for them are typical that they’ve spent their life farming,” said Holly Rippon-Butler, land campaign director at the National Young Farmers Coalition. “Their retirement, their equity is all in the land and tied up in selling land.”

Private landowners are also making a profit by utilizing the land in numerous ways. Approximately 39% of the 911 million acres of farmland across the U.S. is rented out to farmers, and 80% of that rented farmland is owned by landlords who don’t farm themselves data from the Agriculture Department shows.

“The young farmers are just as happy to lease the land because whether you are young or old, it’s a business, right?” said Thomas Petterfy, chairman of Interactive Brokers and owner of 581,000 acres.

“You go buy a farm and you put that cash rental lease in place, you’re going to be looking at about 2.5% return on your capital,” Peoples Company President Steve Bruere said.

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Why Bill Gates Is Buying Up U.S. Farmland

[squigglove]

They're not investing, they're hoarding. It's part of the "You'll own nothing and be happy about it" project.

[brastmonkey]

“Why the rich invest in U.S. farmland.”

To starve the poor.

[chrismarshall]

Control farmlands, control food supply then you control society.

[petervenema]

So he can eat beef - and the world can eat bugs ????

[swampfoxtaylor]

"He who controls the food supply, controls the people".

[kenmarchbanks]

As a retired multi generational farmer I can tell you this will not end well.

[ChristopherAbelman]

I admire the financial independence of people, But you can live better if you work a little more. After watching this I think there are people out there, on the extreme, who plan to die early just to be able to retire early. To each their own but to me retirement isn't just about not having to work, it's about having the freedom to do whatever you might reasonably want, such as travel, buying things, enjoying life, etc. I don't think I could retire with less than $3m in income-generating investments, maybe $2m at the very minimum. I plan to work until I'm at least 45

[downsouth]

Own the food and the water and you have complete control of the people. People can refuse to use AI, buy phones, work at a corporation, etc. But no one can refuse food and water

[eliara-thevoice]

Control the food....control the people. They aren't even hiding it anymore.

[ak]

Controlling farmland and food is more directly related to life than controlling wealth. In my country, the big landowners had power by owning a lot of farmland, and the poor farmers were at their mercy. If their ethics go wrong, nobody can stop them. Excessive wealth is a backward step.

[kkmzwkl]

Ask him how much he pays in taxes on that land and you'll find out we're probably paying him

[oldman]

My experience as a farmer in Australia is absentee landlords make terrible farmers because of their remoteness to the day to day needs of managing properties properly. Paid managers do only what they need to do owners who live on site put in more hours and have more efficient and economic work practices

[monarch]

When nothing else is left to buy, buy the means of food production.

[ELV]

I can't believe we're letting them do this. We are a weak society 😔

[Mephibosheth]

Their buying up these acres should be against the law.

[NsskMedia]

Control *FOOD* and you control people. — Control *Oil* and you control nations - _Henry Kissinger_

[lolawalsh]

Who controls the food supply controls the people; who controls the energy can control whole continents; who controls money can control the world.”
-Henry Kissinger

[BruceNewhouse]

The real question is why are they buying up active farmlands and making them inactive?
Could it be to cause a food crisis?

[geoffbirchall]

When the people discover what you’ve done, Gates! Your money won’t help you!

[cykablyat]

Farmer here. My dad bought a quarter last fall when it’s getting pretty rare for a farmer to be able to own ground and farm it too. Investment firms can pay whatever price cash it seems