Philadelphia organic farm buying Nebraska farmland to convert to organic

Belltown Farms, a Philadelphia-based company, has emerged as the second-largest buyer of farmland in Nebraska, purchasing around 19,000 acres for $41 million between 2018 and 2022. Unlike many large corporate farm buyers, Belltown operates its farms directly and focuses on organic farming. Their Nebraska holdings, including a 9,000-acre organic farm near Holstein, produce a variety of crops such as corn, wheat, and soybeans. Belltown prioritizes sustainable farming, using no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides and employing regenerative farming practices.

The company’s founders, Michael Kaplan and Tom Hill-Norton, formerly involved in renewable energy, have built the farm operation with a focus on sustainable infrastructure, reminiscent of their energy ventures. Belltown’s entry into Nebraska, where land is fertile and relatively affordable, is part of a larger trend of corporate and out-of-state buyers dominating farmland acquisitions. Despite concerns about the loss of smaller, family-operated farms, Belltown claims it isn’t competing with average farmers, often bidding against large-scale agricultural players.

While other large farmland investment companies sometimes lease their land, Belltown directly operates its farms, raising organic crops only.

Brian Halweil, a representative for Belltown Farms, told Flatwater Free Press: “We are not interested in using land that’s going to be turned into fuel (such as ethanol). We want to raise food for people or for animals.”

Belltown’s operation has become significant in Nebraska’s organic farming sector, which is expanding as demand for organic products grows. The company plans to continue its conversion of more farmland to organic, contributing to the state’s 113,000 acres of organic cropland. Their goal is to build a sustainable food system while minimizing environmental impact, creating job opportunities, and potentially inspiring other farms to transition to organic practices​.

Source: Flatwater Free Press (Omaha, Nebraska)

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Organic & Non-GMO Insights December 2024