Your Call: Why are Wall Street Investors Buying More Farmland?
On the August 27th edition of Your Call, we’re talking about growing interest in agriculture investments.
Farmland has become increasingly attractive to investors in recent years. Investors made up nearly a quarter of Iowa farmland purchases in 2009. In Africa the demand is especially high, with investors gaining millions of acres in Ethiopia, Mozambique, and Sudan. What could this mean for rural communities and our food system?
Guests:
Dean Kuipers, a writer on ecology, art and culture, and a former editor at the Los Angeles Times.
Philippe de Lapérouse is Managing Director of HighQuest Partners.
Anuradha Mittal, founder and executive director of the Oakland Institute, is an internationally renowned expert on trade, development, human rights and agriculture issues.
Web Resources:
Orion Magazine: Buying the Farm
Oakland Institute: Down on the Farm, Wall Street: America’s New Farmer
USDA: Trends in US Farmland Values and Ownership
World Bank: Rising Global Interest in Farmland, Can It Yield Sustainable and Equitable Benefits?