Harrison Pittman, Director at the National Agricultural Law Center, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, is a key thought leader at one of the country’s top entities that follows the intersection of agriculture and the law. In his more than two decades in that role, he has never witnessed the level of scrutiny on foreign farmland ownership that he is seeing now. “What we see going on right now,” Pittman told American Farmland Owner, “…it’s a historically significant shift in this area.”

This isn’t your grandparents’ farmland. Willis Sparks, Director Global Macro, Eurasia Group, reminds clients these days how increasingly connected the world is…how the geopolitical climate, wars and weather can impact a Kansas wheat producer, a Louisiana cotton grower, a sweet potato farmer in North Carolina, or someone who invests in the farmland that is connected to any of those people.

Esther George, Former President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, is not “Debbie Downer,” but she is also not yet convinced that the United States’ economy will smoothly find that “soft landing” that optimistic financial experts have predicted. However, the former president/CEO of the Federal Reserve in Kansas City is also not predicting doom and gloom in 2024.

Grant Kimberley, Iowa farmer and Executive Director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board, shares his unique perspective on a high-profile meeting in San Francisco where he engaged with Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden, as well as influential figures Elon Musk and Tim Cook. The meeting emphasized the pivotal connection between U.S. farmland owners and Chinese consumers in the soybean industry.

Dr. Bruce Sherrick, Director TIAA Center for Farmland Research at the University of Illinois and Fruin Professor in Land Economics, reflects on his 35-year commitment to optimizing the potential of the land. He works to align crop insurance with broader policies, while navigating the "Three I's" – inflation, income, and interest rates.

James Gallagher's perspective as a top Republican legislator in California and a sixth-generation farmer sheds light on the challenges facing the state, particularly in relation to water management and agricultural sustainability. While advocating for voluntary, community-driven solutions, Gallagher expresses concerns about the potential difficulties some regions may face and discusses the strain on the walnut industry, emphasizing the need to balance economic realities with the preservation of a family farming legacy.

Dave Muth has a diverse background. He was trained as a mechanical engineer, earned his PhD from Iowa State University, worked in the biofuels industry, has been part of agricultural technology startups, and operates a family farm in north central Iowa. He has spent the past year doing a deep dive into farmland trends leading into 2024 as part of his work leading the Peoples Company Capital Markets team as Managing Director of Asset Management.