permanent crops

The Canadian pension and the Brisbane-based fund manager have agreed to end their strategic partnership, covering some A$200m of assets.

Washington agronomist Stu Turner tells Agri Investor that a large apple crop in 2017 has helped financial investors play an increasingly active role in the state’s farmland market.

AgIS founder and president Jeff Conrad told a conference audience last month that US pensions are increasingly viewing farmland as a permanent fixture of their asset mix.

ARMB real assets investment manager Nicholas Orr stresses row crops’ limited return potential in calling for changes to the pension’s $852m farmland portfolio.

The firm will focus on developing artificial intelligence and drone technology to monitor citrus tree orchards health and productivity in California and Brazil.

Senior principal Tom Amis tells Agri Investor that Revol Greens, the seller in the sale/leaseback transaction, has seen a spike in demand for greenhouse-grown produce following a recent E. coli outbreak traced to California lettuce.

The purchase of the 761-acre property comes as USDA predicts record production of the nut.

While the opening panel at our 2018 Forum in Chicago acknowledged such near-term headwinds facing managers as increased competition for fixed income, there was optimism for long-term growth.

The 'very efficient' almond market and rising land values are probably among the factors that just prompted AgIS Capital to buy a 952-acre property for a reported $24m.

The fund, which has invested in water rights and almonds through the Brisbane-based manager, is monitoring the situation due to potential reputational risk.