FarmTogether Review [2024]: Invest in Farming Without Getting Your Hands Dirty

Real estate can be a popular way to diversify an investment portfolio and potentially earn passive income. While most people think of real estate as commercial buildings, apartments, or single-family homes, there are many other real estate assets that profit from the ground underneath our feet.

One of the most crucial of these real estate investments is U.S. farmland because it produces food for our communities. While most of us will never buy a whole farm, FarmTogether is an investment manager that makes it possible to own U.S. farmland, orchards, and other farmland properties. Here’s how it all works.

What is FarmTogether?

FarmTogether is a farmland investment manager and fintech platform that enables accredited investors to buy U.S. farmland, orchards, and other farmland properties. For investors with a large enough portfolio, purchasing an entire farm is also a possibility. 

The FarmTogether platform allows access to farmland through a few different channels:

• Crowdfunding
• 1031 exchange
• Sole ownership
• Bespoke investments
• Sustainable Farmland Fund

The company was founded in 2017 by Artem Milinchuk. It is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and its team has a track record of over 100 cumulative years of experience across farmland investing, agriculture, and real estate.

One of the features that sets FarmTogether apart is its commitment to sustainable farming. In January 2021, it announced that its full portfolio had been certified through Leading Harvest Farmland Management Standard. This standard is an industry-wide first and verifies that farmland is being managed sustainably and responsibly.

Minimum investment	$15,000 for crowdfunded assets $100,000 for the Sustainable Farmland Fund $1,000,000 for sole ownership
Management fees	Fees vary per deal, but typically include the following for each crop type: One-time fee at the beginning Annual management fee Performance fee based on the project basis
Asset classes	Real estate (farmland)
Account types available	Individual Self-directed IRAs Solo 401(k) Corporations LLCs Other additional investment vehicles
Features	Can own fractional shares of individual properties, own entire parcels, or invest in multiple properties Can pick individual properties to invest in
Distributions	Payouts from farmland operations, dependent on the management structure Capital gains from the sale of property, assuming the land rises in value
Best for...	Accredited investors who are looking to help diversify their portfolio with income-producing land investments.
	Visit FarmTogether

How FarmTogether works

FarmTogether offers opportunities to invest in farmland, which is an alternative asset. The properties generally fall into two types – permanent crops and row crops.

Permanent crops are nut and fruit trees that do not have to be replanted each year. The farm operator must harvest the crop from the trees. Row crops, like corn and soybeans, must be replanted each year. These kinds of farmland also provide the opportunity to rotate into different crops based on market conditions.

FarmTogether investors pick and choose which opportunities that they invest in through the crowdfunding option. This means you can choose the assets that best fit your portfolio, and you're not stuck with assets that don't fit your goals.

FarmTogether's crowdfunding product is not a REIT. A REIT is more like a mutual fund where it owns a diversified portfolio of properties, and investors own a fractional interest in every property within the REIT. In contrast, FarmTogether crowdfunding investors actually own the individual properties. Each property is held in a dedicated entity (such as an LLC or corporation) that holds title to and operates that specific asset. Investors buy shares in these various entities representing each farm or orchard through its crowdfunding platform.

While any investor can sign up to open an account, FarmTogether requires that investors show proof that they are accredited when they invest money in any property.

Investment amount

The FarmTogether minimum investment amount is $15,000 per transaction for a fractional interest in a property. To purchase an entire farm, the minimum investment is likely to be $1,000,000 or more. The actual amount will vary based on the farm size, type, and financial details.

Real estate is typically a buy-and-hold investment, which means you should expect to not have access to that money for some time once you invest. FarmTogether estimates that the average hold period for their investments is between eight and 12 years. When the farm is eventually sold and capital gains are realized, you will receive a portion of the proceeds based on what percentage of the shares you own.

Because these investments are illiquid and not publicly traded, it can be difficult to value the asset without an in-depth analysis of the land and business operations. Valuations may fluctuate, and you may not know your investment's true value until the asset is sold at some point in the future.

Fee structure

FarmTogether claims its fees are lower than the industry average. The fees for each deal will vary and should be part of your decision-making process when evaluating any given investment opportunity.

In general, FarmTogether fees may include:

• A one-time fee for managing the syndication
• Annual management fees
• A percentage of the annual profits

Based on a handful of deals that we reviewed, this is the typical fee structure for permanent crop deals:

• One-time admin fee: Equal to 2% of the deal’s project basis, paid at closing
• Annual fixed management fees: 1-2% of the project basis and 5% of the net operating income (NOI) 

This is the typical fee structure for row crop deals:

• One-time admin fee: Equal to 1% of the property’s purchase price, paid at closing
• Annual fee: 20% of gross lease revenue for row crop transactions

Account management

Investors in FarmTogether access their accounts through the company's online portal. At this time, the company does not have a mobile app. In the online portal, investors can research potential investments and see info for each property, including:

• Risk/return profile
• Fee
• Ownership structure
• On-farm sustainability practices
• Due diligence materials
• Other legal documents

Investors can also sign legal documents, confirm payment selection, and track their portfolio’s performance over time. The portal provides a history of previous disbursements and notices of upcoming disbursements.

Timeframe

When you invest with FarmTogether, you should expect that your investment will be tied up for five years or longer. This is typically the case with commercial real estate investments as well. When the farm is sold, you should receive a pro-rata share of the proceeds based upon your ownership percentage of the farm.

Educational resources

FarmTogether offers a learning center where potential and current investors can educate themselves on farmland investing, alternative assets, and FarmTogether announcements. It features white papers, podcasts, infographics, webinars, and more.

More about FarmTogether’s property selection process

FarmTogether uses data-driven decision-making to locate and evaluate potential investments. It reviews a mix of on-market and off-market opportunities across the United States. Roughly only 2% of all deals that enter FarmTogether’s consideration are eventually offered on its platform.

The selection process incorporates macro-level factors like climate change, regulations, and long-term agricultural yield trends. FarmTogether also analyzes supply, demand, consumer preferences, and other factors to develop long-term views on pricing and valuation trends.

Individual properties undergo a thorough 120-point due diligence checklist about the property, its crops, workers, financials, and more. Only once it passes each of these hurdles will a farmland investment opportunity be presented to investors for consideration.

FarmTogether has committed to funding sustainable and prosperous farming opportunities. This philosophy is just as much about saving the planet as it is about growing profits. FarmTogether believes that using high-tech and sustainable farmland management approaches can help magnify and preserve yields.

All of FarmTogether's farm acreage is certified in the Leading Harvest certification program, which verifies that farmland is being managed sustainably through third-party audits and tracking actual versus expected results. This is exemplified by strategies such as cover cropping to avoid erosion, transitioning to organic crops, and utilizing efficient irrigation to reduce water waste.

Pros and cons of FarmTogether

FarmTogether is best for accredited investors looking to help diversify their portfolios away from stocks and bonds. Ideal FarmTogether investors are looking for passive investments that can produce regular recurring income and are okay with keeping their money invested for eight years or longer.

Pros

• Diversification into assets that have historically moved differently than the stock market
• Own entire parcels of land or fractional shares in either individual properties or the Sustainable Farmland Fund
• Passive investing in potentially income-producing assets
• Potential for pass-through depreciation and other tax benefits

Cons

• Restricted to accredited investors
• Minimum investment of $15,000
• Limited liquidity of investments
• Difficulty tracking the value of any real estate investment

Who can open an account with FarmTogether?

FarmTogether is limited to accredited investors. As an individual accredited investor, you must meet one of the following qualifications:

• Annual income of $200,000 or more for each of the last two years (or $300,000 per household) with an expectation that this level of income will continue for the foreseeable future
• Net worth of at least $1,000,000 (individual or jointly) excluding the value of your primary residence
• Hold a professional certification, such as a FINRA Series 7, Series 65, or Series 82 license

Investors must provide documented proof that they meet accreditation eligibility. FarmTogether accepts certificates of accreditation from ParallelMarkets, VerifyInvestor, and InvestReady. Otherwise, you can also submit your supporting documentation directly to FarmTogether to verify your eligibility.

Additionally, the following entities may invest with FarmTogether:

• A bank, insurance company, registered investment advisor (RIA), business development company (BDC), or small business investment company (SBIC)
• A business in which all equity owners qualify as an accredited investor
• An employee benefit plan, trust, charitable organization, partnership, or company with total assets of at least $5 million

FarmTogether is best suited for sophisticated investors who meet accredited investor eligibility requirements and are looking to diversify their portfolio with income-producing assets that have the potential to appreciate in value.

How much can you earn with FarmTogether?

Investors can typically receive money in two ways with FarmTogether – income and appreciation.

Income comes from rental payments via lease agreements (with row crops) or from direct management contracts (with permanent crops), as well as from the revenue generated by farming operations. Appreciation is realized upon sale of the property.

The income payouts you receive will be proportional to your fractional interest in the property and are paid out quarterly, semi-annually, or annually, depending on your investment allocation, as well as your negotiated lease payments. Upcoming payments and a history of distributions are available when you log into your online account. When an asset is sold, you'll receive your proportional investment plus or minus any gain or loss on the asset.

FarmTogether aims to provide attractive returns to investors by targeting investments that could offer net IRR of 6% to 13% after factoring in fees. Of these returns, investors can expect to receive 2% to 9% in target net cash yields, with the rest expected to be from appreciation in the value of the farmland. Each available deal on the platform lays out projected returns, so you can choose to invest only in the deals that meet your personal criteria. Projected returns are not guaranteed.

Farmland investing is a unique asset class, and there are no guarantees you'll get your money back. Investing of all kinds is inherently risky. The fact that only accredited investors are permitted to invest with FarmTogether should serve as a warning that you must be vigilant with your research before committing your money to any properties.

FAQs about FarmTogether

How to open a FarmTogether account

Investing with FarmTogether is limited to accredited investors. To open a FarmTogether account, you should have the following information available:

• Name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Investing goal

When you are ready to invest, you'll need to provide your accredited investor qualification and additional personal information, such as your date of birth and Social Security number. And you'll need to link your bank account to fund your investment.

Non-accredited investors may also open an account, but they will not be eligible to invest with FarmTogether at this time. By creating your account, you'll be notified if the option to invest becomes available.

Other investing platforms to consider

If you're not ready to start investing in farmland after reading this FarmTogether review, but you still want to help diversify your portfolio by investing money beyond traditional stocks and bonds, you have other options.

Fundrise is a startup that makes our list of the best investment apps. It enables everyday investors to own fractional shares in low-cost, institutional-quality real estate. Investors can get started with as little as $10 and are not required to be accredited. As you add to your Fundrise portfolio, additional investment options become available to match your experience and diversification goals.

Fans of collectibles should check out Public. This trading platform gives people access to alternative investments such as collectibles, trading cards, art, and more. Public also offers zero-commission trading, fractional shares, and a community that may help you learn and grow as a new investor.