Farm Operators

Building partnerships with exceptional farm operators is fundamental to how Peoples Company manages farmland assets. Our team believes the most successful business outcomes are built on relationships where landowner objectives and operator expertise align to drive measurable improvements.

Farmland ownership generates value through two forms of return: annual income and long-term asset appreciation. Our management approach is designed to enhance both. Peoples Company farm managers work closely with top operators to actively improve soil health, leverage production data, coordinate capital improvements, and optimize operational efficiency. These investments create compounding benefits—improved yields strengthen annual returns while enhanced land quality drives appreciation, benefiting both the operator who farms the ground and the investor who owns it.

We view operator relationships as long-term commitments, not annual transactions. When we identify talented producers who share our values, we foster these relationships, prioritize their growth, and offer them access to opportunities to strategically grow their operations. We also recognize these valuable partners by hosting regional operator receptions and honoring a “Farmer of the Year” at the Land Investment Expo each January.

The Operators We Partner With

Peoples Company’s success is directly tied to partnering with operators who approach their work with the same professionalism and long-term perspective we bring to land management. We seek partners who value open communication, embrace conservation practices, and understand that sustainable returns require sustainable stewardship.

Transparency & Communication

Effective land management requires clear information flow between all stakeholders. Our managers build collaborative relationships with operators that ensure consistent landowner updates and well-defined expectations for both management and production goals.

Sustainable Practices

Our portfolio is managed to the Leading Harvest Sustainability Standard, the industry's leading farmland stewardship framework. We actively partner with operators who view conservation as sound business practice and implement sustainable practices within their operations.

Long-Term Approach

Our managers work with operators to implement improvement plans that drive future production improvement, and therefore value. This approach extends to our leasing relationships; we minimize tenant turnover, align incentives long-term outcomes, and maximize performance.

Operator Appreciation Dinners

Recognizing the dedication of our farm operators is more than courtesy, it's strategic relationship management. Each year, we host regional appreciation dinners that bring together the tenants who execute our management vision across the country for our landowners. These gatherings demonstrate our commitment to the people who translate strategy into production and are a great opportunity to connect and gain market and operational insights with farmland stakeholders.

Farmer of the Year

In 2023, Peoples Company created the “Farmer of the Year”” to recognize excellence within our operator network. This distinction honors an operator who exemplifies a commitment to production, sustainability, stewardship, and thorough communication. Recipients are honored at the Land Investment Expo each January, where their dedication to the land is showcased as a model for the industry.

Operator Database

Peoples Company maintains a database of high-quality operators seeking to expand their operational portfolio. Operators interested in adding acres to their operation within our managed portfolio are encouraged to connect with a Peoples Company Farm Manager in their area. This process allows our managers to evaluate operators before opportunities come available, ensuring efficient transitions and planning for both landowners and operators.

Solutions For Operators

Peoples Company Capital Markets connects investors with premium farmland investment opportunities. We partner with leading farm operators to help expand their production acres as well as provide access to working capital and liquidity.

To discuss access to capital or sale-leasebacks, please reach out to Hunter Norland.

Structure a Sale-Leaseback

Secure access to productive acres is vital to the profitability of many farm operators. Sale-leaseback transactions are an excellent tool for operators needing flexibility and predictability, allowing operators to monetize owned real estate while maintaining farming rights through long-term lease agreements.

This structure provides solutions for common agricultural scenarios. A sale-leaseback creates an opportunity for an investor to acquire the asset while establishing a long-term relationship with an operator, with the opportunity for the operator to buy back or acquire an asset at the end of the lease term.

Peoples Company Capital Markets connects these transactions to our network of farmland investors—high-net-worth individuals, family offices, institutional funds, and 1031 exchange buyers—who seek quality agricultural assets with experienced operators. The arrangement is mutually beneficial because operators gain capital and production capacity, and investors acquire improved, income-producing farmland with an established, capable operator.

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Connect With Our Team

Operators interested in learning more about working with Peoples Company are encouraged to complete the form below to get connected with a team member.