Here’s Why You Should Consider Investing in American Agriculture
Do you live in the Rocky Mountain region? Do you have a significant amount of money put aside and an interest in diversifying your portfolio? Then you may want to start looking into farmland and ranches for sale in your area. Before writing the idea off, here are three things you should consider about the U.S. agricultural industry.
- Agriculture Makes up a Huge Part of the American Economy
Thanks to her wide open spaces, diverse climates, and wealth of natural resources, The United States of America is a born leader in agriculture. In 2011, more than 750 thousand people were employed in agriculture in the U.S., and the industry grossed over 374 billion U.S. dollars. In Texas alone, 14% of the workforce is employed in agriculture, and agriculture and related businesses annually contribute around 36.4 billion dollars to the state economy. - Farms Aren’t Just for Big Companies
Popular culture (and fear-mongering food documentaries) today may have many Americans convinced that modern farming and ranching is all done by huge corporate collectives, but it’s simply not true. In fact, roughly 96% of crop-producing U.S. farms are still family owned. And out of the 920 million acres of farmland across America, about a third is run by farmers and ranchers who own the land in full. “Farm for sale” is definitely not an exclusive advertisement to huge companies. - There Are More Options Than You Might Think
Does growing and harvesting crops fail to pique your interest? That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still consider buying some agricultural real estate– there are countless other options for making your way in the American agricultural marketplace. Cattle ranches abound throughout the Rocky Mountain region, and never require a day of planting. You could also find yourself a nice piece of horse property for sale in Montana, or a hunting ranch for sale in Colorado. If you’re more interested in tourism than food production, you could always buy a guest ranch and give Americans from across the country a taste of the Rocky Mountain ranching experience. And don’t completely discount standard, crop-growing farmland– you may be surprised by your interest in growing crops like pistachios, almonds, dates, grapes (snacking or wine), or kiwifruit, all of which thrive in California.
Next time you see an advertisement that says “Farm for Sale,” read on. With around two trillion dollars worth of agricultural real estate spread throughout all 50 states, you may like what you see.