In fact, Gates is the owner of over. Bill Gates and conspiracy theories go together like peanut butter and jelly. In fact, in June of 2022 he secured an additional 2,100 acres of farmland in North Dakota for roughly $13.5 million. Farmland has some natural built-in drawbacks for all of the built-in benefits: Just 20 years ago, it was difficult to invest in farmland if you werent already independently wealthy. Bill Gates, the billionaire founder of Microsoft, has been revealed as the biggest private owner of farmland in the US, after buying up 242,000 acres in 18-states. Theres a lot of little benefits that stack up when talking about farmland, but the biggest is likely the fact that farmland returns historically out performs most other investment vehicles, and is also comparatively the least volatile asset among the bunch. Breitbart News reporter Alana Mastrangelo wrote: Gates is now America's largest private farmland owner, with hundreds of thousands of acres spanning across 19 U.S. states, according to the Land Report. Here in Michigan, roughly 1.35 million acres of ag land is held by foreign investors and nearly 90% of this land is in forests. The controversy over Bill Gates becoming the largest private farmland owner in the US People are drawing connections between Gates's vast farmlands and climate change advocacy. Although nowhere near 80 percent of U.S. farmland, its still a little more than one-third of the state of Rhode Island, a surprising amount for one person and enough to make Gates the largest landowner in the U.S. Sign up for our newsletter for the latest tech news and scoops delivered daily to your inbox. Neither of these are a perfect option. He has been buying thousands of acres across America. Who owns the most farm ground in the US? Not all of these owners are American; in fact, the portion of farmland that is foreign-owned has grown about 60 percent in the last decade, from 22 million acres in 2009 to 35.2 million . The . Why Bill Gates Is Investing Big Time In Farmland Across Washington And The Country - Northwest Public Broadcasting About Contact Us Coverage Area Our Staff Work With Us Report an Outage Station News Latest Station News Connect Archives Our Stories Download NWPB App TV Schedules Channel Guide Online Schedules Download Schedules Local Programs Former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates owns a majority of America's farmland. Bill Gates owns a minimum of 242,000 acres of U.S. farmland in Washington, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, California and multiple other states. Deals are highly vetted with around a 1% acceptance rate, You pick and choose what specific farms you want to invest in, Investors do not have access to a secondary market yet, so you should be familiar with the time horizon. From the beginning, Cascade Investments focused on blue chip defensive stocks, including Four Seasons, Berkshire Hathaway, Coca Cola, and more. The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/05/bill-gates-climate-crisis-farmland. February 27, 2023, 11:49 AM. There were 895.3 million acres of farmland in America in 2021, according to a 2022 reportfrom the Department of Agriculture. As of 2020, industry reports show he owned about 0.027% of U.S. farmland. I have written several articles on postings related to Big Tech, Social Media and Corporations. False. What is the most profitable crop in Michigan? In this short period of time, there was a proliferation in funds that were specifically focused on farmland investing. 1 landowner in the U.S. is billionaire John Malone, the chairman of Liberty Media, who tops . As of 2020, industry reports show he owned about 0.027% of U.S. farmland. Invitation Homes, for example, has approximately 80,000 homes for lease across the country and is the largest landlord for single-family homes in the United States (here) (here). All rights reserved. Bill Gates is well-known for building Microsoft, but it's a lesser-known fact that he's also the biggest private landowner in the US. Heres why. Are you ready for alternative proteins made from a volcanic microbe? Benzinga does not provide investment advice. The explanation offered by conspiracy theorists for this untrue claim was that these fires were being intentionally set in order to create a food crisis. Farmland, Biden Hears Oval Office Plea for Alaska Oil Project in Lobbying Frenzy, Apple tops ranking of global companies with the most 'green' revenue, UPDATE 2-North Korea says UN should demand end to S.Korea-US military drills, US Treasury puts cost of outbound investment risk program at $10 million, US Jobs Report and Powell Testimony Take Center Stage: Eco Week. stated on February 13, 2023 in a Facebook post, Gates investments in plant-based meat and farmland. Gates and his wife, Melinda, own 242,000-acres across the U.S., according to The Land Report.. Gates' farmland includes 69,071-acres in Louisiana, 47,927-acres in Arkansas, 25,750-acres in Arizona, and 20,588 in Nebraska, and property in 14 other states, the magazine reported. Read more about our work to fact-check social media posts here . False. However, Microsoft wasn't Bill Gates' only successful venture. 20006, Florida "Those people are upset, but there are others that are just livid about this.". By divesting his personal wealth from his own thriving tech company, and diversifying into myriads of other non-tech based businesses, Merged from the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation quickly became. He's the new MacDonald: Bill Gates owns hundreds of thousands of acres across the United States including 242,000 acres of farmland making him the country's top agricultural landholder, according to Eric O'Keefe's The Land Report. Bill Gates buys farmland in Amish Country. Bill Gates owns about 400 acres of farmland outside of Malmo, Nebraska, that he rents to a local farmer. Gates, currently the sixth-richest person in the world, has a net worth of $111 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Representatives for Gates did not immediately respond to messages from Insider requesting comment. He was right when he predicted the COVID-19 epidemic in 2015. Social media users are falsely claiming that Gates owns the majority of U.S. farmland. In their Big Bet, they recognize that the impoverished people stand to be impacted the most by these changes. Hes the largest landowner in the United States. The No. Then, on Tuesday, the North Dakota attorney general's office sent a letter to the Red River Trust notifying a trustee, Peter Headley, of a Depression-era rule barring companies, LLCs, and trusts from farming and ranching activities in the state. The 2,100 acre potato farm adds to his massive portfolio of farm investments. Another main feature of the Big Bet is the implementation of the culmination of the Gates Foundations research: specialized GMO seeds for different crops that have been gene edited to be pest-proof, flood proof, disease proof, and climate change-resistant. China has steadily accumulated U.S. Treasury securities over the last few decades. Egg prices havent come down with inflation. Since 2020, Gates has held the title of the nations largest private farmland owner, per The Land Report. In the Reddit AMA, he also said he'll sell what he owns as money goes towards the foundation. ", Gates responded at the time, "My investment team bought the farmland. The agriculture sector is important," Gates wrote. Gates' interest in farmland is still strong. In 2000, the new Gates foundation launched with Bill, Melinda, and Warren Buffet on the trustee board. While BlackRock does not directly own single-family houses, as the worlds largest asset manager (here), it owns stock in companies that do. Other factors are pandemic-related supply chain issues andholiday demand. He owns 242,000 acres, which is equivalent to the area of Fannin County GA. The Agriculture Department estimates there are more than 895 million acres of farmland in the U.S., making Gates share 0.028%. 11 Jan. 2021, https://landreport.com/2021/01/bill-gates-americas-top-farmland-owner/. More than 58 million birds in hundreds of commercial and backyard flocks have been affected since the bird flu outbreak began in February 2022, the Agriculture Department estimated. According to 2021 article from the Land Report, a magazine about land ownership, Gates owns approximately 242,000 acres of farmland. However, the Gates Foundation has been largely transparent at every level of their operations from their objectives, means, successes, and failures. Bill Gates owns almost as much U.S. agricultural land as China at 248,000 acres, . In January 2021, Bill Gates became the largest owner of farmland in the United States. These subsistence farmers can order equipment and seeds they need, paying what they can over a longer period of time. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is focused partly on agricultural development to support farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. As of October 2021, the Asian nation owns $1.065 trillion, or about 3.68%, of the $28.9 trillion U.S. national debt, which is more than any other foreign country except Japan. In 1994, Bill Gates opened up his family office, Cascade Investment LLC, with trusted wealth manager Michael Larson. In April 2022, researchers warned about the potential risk of a global food shortage, spurred on in part by Russia's ongoing attacks on Ukraine. Bill Gates Uses Farmland as Investment Vehicle, Owning 269,000 Acres of Land. NBC News, https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/bill-gates-is-nation-s-largest-farmland-owner-114566213692. 727-821-9494. stated on January 22, 2023 in an Instagram post: The U.S. chicken and egg shortage is linked to Bill Gates. He created the pledge in 2010 with his then-wife, Melinda French Gates, and his close friend and Berkshire Hathaway CEO, Warren Buffett. These posts were flagged as part of Instagrams efforts to combat false news and misinformation. They ripen in late July and early. A Grimmway Farms employee moves a water pipe at one of their carrot farms in the Antelope Valley. Supreme Court just voted to ban condoms., Says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he wants Americas sons and daughters to go die in Ukraine., In Ohio, there are 75,000 acres of farmland, fertile farmland, that are all now being poured down with acid rain., Muslims by the millions are converting to Christianity.. Bill Gates and his estranged wife Melinda Gates have accumulated more than 269,000 acres of farmland across 18 American states. The report states that Gates has 70,000 acres of land in North Louisiana where they grow soybeans, corn, cotton. In a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) last week, Gates once again fielded a question pertaining to his AG holdings and stated that he actually only owns 1/4000 of all U.S. farmland, or about 270,000 acres spread across 18 different states. Bill is now the biggest owner of farmland in 2022 a great hedge asset against rising inflation. So why does Bill Gates, and other billionaires like him, keep buying up so much farmland? Some social media users are claiming recent national chicken and egg supply shortages are the culmination of a decadelong plot by Gates. 28. A $13.5 million purchase of a North Dakota potato farm is drawing outrage and legal scrutiny. Bill Gates, and the Chinese, are not just buying up farm land for that purpose. AREA 8 CASH CROPS AND DAIRY Area 8 is the leading cash crop area in Michigan. Oversight," June 15, 2018, The Chicago Tribune, "Chicken nuggets and cream cheese grow in trays in a South Side lab. This isn't the first time Gates has called for higher taxes on the wealthy. Does Michigan Allow Personal Tax Exemptions? Satellites are on balloons and not in space.. In addition, he owns 25,750 acres of transitional land and 1,234 acres of recreational land for total land holdings of 268,984 acres. "Why are you buying up so much farmland, do you think this is a problem with billionaire wealth and how much you can disproportionally acquire?" Many people wonder why Bill Gates would make these moves with his investment portfolio. Gates farmland now totals 242,000 acres. In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts. The. What Part Of Michigan Is Considered The Upper Peninsula? In his Reddit AMA last year, one user said, "What do you plan to do with all the farmland you have purchased? Trump killed them., The Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl win has been put on hold as NFL plans to launch an investigation on possible (performance-enhancing drug) use by Patrick Mahomes during halftime.. The Land Report found in 2021 that the Gateses had 242,000 acres of farmland, 1,234 acres of recreational land, and 25,750 acres of land in transition from farmland to residential and commercial use (think suburban development). The biggest chunks of Gates' holdings are in Louisiana and Arkansas, where he owns 69,071 acres and 47,927 acres, respectively, the outlet's research found. See MCL 436.1701., Michigan taxpayers are allowed to take a number of exemptions, depending on the number of people in the taxpayers household, their ages, and other factors, If the defendant is held for more than 24 hours without being brought before the court under subsection (2), the officer in charge of the, An ORV or off-road vehicle is a motor-driven, recreational vehicle capable of driving on a range of terrains not limited to roadways and, Michigan leads the nation in tart cherry production. Farmland originally appeared on Benzinga.com. As more investors look to buy land, those who got in earlier are poised to benefit from the appreciation of the land value. Of those states, Gates owns the most land in Louisiana, where he is proprietor of more than 69,000 acres. For now, Gatess ever-expanding farmland ownership is really just rich guy doing rich guy things, and while concerning in a late-stage capitalism sort of way, it isnt as cartoonishly nefarious as some conspiratorial corners of the internet want to believe. The U.S. Federal Government. The tide began to shift in the early 2000s, when institutional investors began to give farmland a closer look. Farmland REITs have a high degree of correlation with the overall stock market, and returns tend to be lower than less liquid farmland investments. But the fact remains, as the Daily Mail notes, Gates computer "nerd" and . Heres why.," Jan. 10, 2023. In addition, the law places certain limitations on the ability of trusts to own farmland or ranchland, the letter said. That purchase of Plum Creek makes Weyerhaeuser the largest private landowner in Michigan, as of now. It's not part of his plans to save the planet. A 2021 report published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said there were 895,300,000 acres of farmland in the United States. 2022. No one but Bill Gates knows that answer. Either that or I had a screw loose. To put it into perspective, if all of Gates land was in one place, it would cover about 25% of Rhode Island. Read also:Which Billionaire Owns The Most Land In The U.S.? The billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates, America's largest farmland owner, apparently bought a potato farm in North Dakota, and local residents aren't too happy about it.