Permanent Crops

Future is unclear for the Brisbane-based asset manager as receivers are appointed after ‘significant instability and uncertainty’ at Blue Sky.

The latest Australian Farmland Index paints a positive picture for Australian agriculture, although drought conditions in the east are hitting returns in some cases.

Ag fund managers are hoping for resolution of US-China trade tensions. The savviest will prepare for them to get better and worse.

Managing director Brent Burnett says recent data suggest return expectations for US farmland are closer to the 6-8% range than the 10-12% suggested by long-term performance.

The deal will give Value Midwest clients access to Peoples Company’s brokerage, land management and investment services.

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.