Investors Sink Billions in 'Green Gold'

But some worry what happens when bottom falls out of farming
By Jim O'Neill,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 5, 2008 8:22 AM CDT
Investors Sink Billions in 'Green Gold'
Central Illinois corn and soybean farmer David Ray fills hoppers with soybeans while planting his farm field near Loami, Ill.    (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

Billions of investment dollars are pouring into agriculture as the global demand for food explodes, turning crops such as wheat, corn, and soybeans into green gold, reports the New York Times. And while the immediate impact of more money being fed into agriculture will likely result in increased food production, some critics worry the boom could go bust just as quickly.

While traditional agriculture investors tend to stick with it through tough times, experts are concerned new investors are simply looking for a quick buck, and will lose interest at the first sign of a downturn. “Farmland can be a bubble just like Florida real estate,” said one broker.  (More farming stories.)

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