The U.S. and Canadian beef industry collectively generates over $65 billion annually. Ranching allows grass and other forage unsuitable for human consumption to be converted into a sustainable source of food and fibre. As global food demand and personal incomes increase around the world, the demand for high-quality protein and other ranch products is projected to grow.
In addition to beef, ranch lands bring a variety of ecological goods and services to the marketplace, such as plant and animal biodiversity, healthy watersheds and inspiring vistas. Demand for these products is visible in several ways – through the proliferation of all-natural or organic-branded products, through the expansion of land trusts and other conservation organizations, and through the application of political pressure to preserve open space and environmental values.
Safe, stable investment opportunities are also in high demand. The attraction of historic investment havens, such as land, is currently a popular theme within investment circles. Recent shifts in public policy have led to an environment of unusual uncertainty regarding the future of many investment vehicles and, in particular, to traditional stock and bond portfolios. As a result, indications suggest an increasing and prolonged appeal of tangible assets, coupled with a desire to shift away from cash or equivalent instruments.
