Fundraising

The growth of special purpose acquisition companies last year added more than $40bn to the pile of capital chasing buyout deals, according to the consulting firm's latest report.

Dwight Anderson says an improving commodity outlook and government attention on food supply chain risks are among factors helping create a material improvement in investor sentiment towards ag.

National Pension Service of Korea has been weighing up an investment in the timber sector for ‘a number of years,’ says Stafford Capital Partners managing partner Stephen Addicott.

Managing director Olly Hughes tells Agri Investor about the decades-long tailwinds the firm sees in the timberland space and the expansion strategy it is on the cusp of executing.

The open-ended fund plans to devote 20% of its investments to farmland infrastructure and timber investments in the US, LatAm, Europe and Australasia.

The firm has set its sights on two funds that will invest across the UK and Northern Europe, with a further two targeting Australasia and potentially the US, says managing director Olly Hughes.

The South Korean public pension has backed a timberland fund.

Emerging and diverse managers received less than 3% of capital commitments closed in H1, raising fears they are being left behind as the pandemic changes fundraising.

Pontifax Global Food and Agriculture Technology Fund II holds final close.

State Universities Retirement Systems of Illinois' $60m commitment to Homestead Farmland Fund III puts the vehicle just shy of the $550m mark.