Net Farm Income (NFI) is forecasted to reach $111.4 billion in the United States in 2021, which is above the historical average despite inflation. Many investors are looking to farms and land as a solid investment opportunity. There are several ways investors can monetize their farm or land without working the land.
Rent or Crop Share Your Land with Other Farmers
Renting or crop sharing your land with other farmers is an easy way to make money on your land by allowing other farmers to lease agricultural land to harvest crops. There are lots of leasing agreements that you can do to make it attractive to farmers while generating money year after year.
When renting your land for agriculture, rent is generally paid upfront, which is great for you because you’re paid whether the crops do well or not.
Host Billboards on Your Land
Many vacant landowners and farmers whose land borders busy roads host advertising billboards. The billboard rates vary based on:
- Size
- Location
- Current advertising rates
- Road Traffic
- And other local factors
But if your land is next to a fairly busy road, you may be able to collect sizable revenue.
Host Cell Towers, Solar Panel Fields, and Wind Towers
Like a billboard, you can rent your land to host cell towers, solar panel fields, and wind towers. These entities do not necessarily need to be near busy roads but are usually based on location and environment.
If your land gets a lot of sun, then a solar panel field may be ideal. If your land is particularly windy, then you may be able to host wind towers for a considerable fee.
These options are also maintained by the companies while you collect the rent. If this option is appealing, you’ll want to look for land investment opportunities that provide an ideal environment.
Harvest Timber for Lumber Companies
If your land or farm is heavily forested, then you may want to consider allowing lumber companies to harvest the wood. Timber pricing is dependent on the age of the trees. If your forest is less than fifteen years, then the lumber is worth less than if the trees are over thirty-five years old.
Provide Storage for Heavy Machinery and Vehicles
You can also build an indoor structure on your land to provide storage for heavy machinery:
- Farm Equipment
- Boats
- RVs
- Trucks
By providing equipment parking, your land requires very low maintenance while being able to charge premium parking and storage space for large, heavy machinery and vehicles. Providing a storage facility for heavy machinery also has some additional operation expenses like building maintenance and insurance.
Are you ready to invest in farmland? Learn more about Land Income different investment opportunities in California.
Open a Campground
If your property is near popular hiking spots or a national park, you may be able to open a campground on your property. To build a campground, you’ll need access to water and a plumbing solution to provide bathrooms.
You’ll also need a maintenance crew to clean and manage the grounds while campers are there. While it may require more effort to maintain, a campground can be very profitable during summer and hunting seasons.
A lower maintenance option instead of a campground would be to provide RV camping. Hosting an RV camping area requires electricity and sewage disposal, but can be a very cost-effective way to monetize your land.
Rent Your Land as Pasture
If you have a sizeable farm or land, you may want to consider renting it to other farmers and ranchers as a pasture for their animals. Cattle, sheep, and horses need large areas to graze and can make your land profitable. Keep in mind, animals can cause damage to the land that may need some maintenance.
Lease the Land to Hunters
If there is a lot of wildlife on your property, you may want to lease the land to hunters. Hunters pay top dollar to hunt on wild game grounds. You can provide camping options or a cabin depending on how much you want to invest to attract hunters. And you’ll need to check with the wildlife service to know the local restrictions for hunting in your area.
Allow Other Farmers to Subdivide the Land for Farming
Subdividing is where you divide the property into several smaller pieces to sell to farmers or other interested investors. Subdividing a large piece of land can also be very lucrative. Subdividing is typically paid in cash upfront.
Selling sections of the land can be profitable as long as the area is in demand. You can also sell subdivided pieces as needed and keep the others longer to allow for appreciation.
Rent Plots for Community Gardeners
If your land is in an area where the community needs more gardening space or has limited space, then you can lease your land to community gardeners. You can divide the land into rentable plots that individuals or groups can rent to plant.
There are Several Ways to Make Money With Land
If you have land or a farm and don’t want to work the land, don’t worry. There are plenty of ways to monetize your land without having to do a lot of work or maintenance. Land is generally a safe investment that can pay off year after year.
Land Income is an excellent farmland investment opportunity in California. Investing in cropland diversifies your portfolio while generating stable consistent returns. Land Income provides valuable information about different farmland opportunities to ensure smart farmland investing.
Are you interested in owning or investing in California farmland? Contact Land Income to learn more about their different cropland investment opportunities.
