Missouri Independent recently reported on the steep rise in farmland prices.
Agricultural land has almost always been seen as a “good” investment, with some economists in the past labeling the asset as “inflation proof” because of its generally reliable profits and the industry’s steady support from lawmakers.
In recent years, land prices have continued to see steep increases across the country despite market conditions that should have slowed their ascent. While some experts attribute this growth to how attractive farmland has always been, others are concerned about the level of investment by not only consolidated corporate farming operations, but by investment firms, hedge funds and other non-traditional players.
Missouri farmer Darwin Bentlage was interviewed and mentioned our policy, the Farmland for Farmers Act, which was recently introduced in the Senate.
Bentlage said while he’s generally pessimistic about the state of the industry he’s spent nearly six decades in, he does think there are solutions.
Whether it’s bills like Farmland for Farmers Act — a bill introduced by Sen. Cory Booker, D-NY, that would limit corporate and institutional investment in farms — or changes to farm subsidy programs that would prioritize family farmers and small operations over large corporate interests, he said lawmakers have the ball in their court.