Midwest The New Silicon Valley? Udder-ly Ridiculous Returns In The Corn Industry Leave Investors Drooling Farmland has been in the news a lot lately. Bill Gates, for one, saw food shortages coming years ago . His foresight explains his rampant buying of American farmland. His purchases have been met with plenty of controversy and backlash — as well as scathing reviews from Russell Brand. Gates knows what he’s doing, and his peers mimic his strategy. Gates’ $30 billion investment firm Cascade Investment LLC handles his investments, which include companies like United Parcel Service Inc. , Ecolab Inc. and Crown Castle . One of Gates’ most notable investments is his heavy investment in Berkshire Hathaway , whose CEO is none other than fellow farmland aficionado and billionaire, Warren Buffett. While Buffett owns a family farm in Illinois, Gates’ investments have been next level. Gates owns around 240,000 acres of tillable farmland in the U.S. Smart. Full story available on Benzinga.com