KENNEWICK, Wash. and SAN MATEO, Calif., July 19, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With the goal of establishing a local presence in the Pacific Northwest, Fall Line Capital has hired Lindy Widner, an Eastern Washington agriculture real estate lending veteran, to expand operations and relationships in the region. Widner will be based in Kennewick, WA and responsible for Fall Line operations spanning Washington, Oregon and Idaho. She will be focused on land acquisitions as well as working closely with Fall Line's farming tenants in the region.
Fall Line has been investing in the Pacific Northwest since 2012 with a focus on conventional row crops such as potatoes, onions, corn, wheat, grasses and various seed crops. With the addition of Widner to its team, the firm looks to expand its investment activities across the entire breadth of farmland opportunities in the Northwest.
Founded in 2011, Fall Line Capital is a private equity investment fund that focuses on investing in and improving U.S. farmland through active, hands-on land management. The firm, which was founded by a fifth generation Iowa corn and soybean farmer and a Silicon Valley venture capital veteran, seeks to address the long-term supply and demand imbalance in agricultural commodities by combining the best of precision farming techniques with the latest in new technologies to change the fundamental productivity and value of farmland. Fall Line also invests in AgTech companies that are strategic to its land holdings, creating a combination of investment strategies that adds value both to farmers looking to improve their operations and productivity and to technology entrepreneurs looking to bring their innovations to the field.
Widner comes to Fall Line from Rabo AgriFinance, based in Richland, WA. She most recently served as senior client relationship manager responsible for managing a diverse portfolio of vertically-integrated agricultural clients with experience in both row crops and permanent plantings grown in the area. Widner was previously regional vice president and held analytics roles with Rabo. She was born and raised in the region and graduated with a degree in agricultural economics from the University of Idaho.
"We understand that every region and every piece of land is different and requires a unique plan to fit its particular characteristics and maximize its potential," said Clay Mitchell, co-founder of Fall Line and a fifth-generation farmer with a background in biomedical engineering and agronomy. "We've assembled a team of experienced farmers, agronomists and investors who believe in taking a long-term, hands-on approach that combines new technology with sound stewardship of the land in order to to maximize productivity and build long-term farm value."
"We are very fortunate to have Lindy join us on the ground with her deep network of relationships and intimate knowledge of the farmland market within the Columbia River Basin and across the entire Pacific Northwest," he continued. "Lindy has been an advisor and trusted partner of some of the region's most sophisticated and successful operators. Her local knowledge will be indispensable as we seek new investment opportunities and expand our relationships in one of the highest growth and most dynamic agricultural regions in the United States."
Widner underscored that it is Fall Line's atypical approach to institutional investing that drew her to the firm. "Their experience and commitment to a local presence, combined with their technological savvy is unique." She added, "Ours is a very progressive area, and farmers in this region are very interested in how technology can help them. There is no group with a better handle on technology in agriculture than Fall Line."
Fall Line co-founder and managing director Eric O'Brien, who brings extensive experience in technology venture capital investing, also noted, "We are not a typical investor in either farmland or AgTech. We are focused on how technology can give our farmers an edge. If we can help them access technology that can deterministically increase crop yields or decrease farming costs, we know they will adopt those products, benefiting their operations and enhancing our investments over time. The Pacific Northwest is a a dynamic, high-growth agricultural region where farmers are willing to try new things. We believe our unique approach is a perfect fit for progressive farmers interested in ways to gain an edge in the market."
About Fall Line Capital
Fall Line Capital is a private equity firm uniquely focused on investments in U.S. farmland, active management of farmland, and AgTech startups that are strategic to its land holdings. Fall Line was co-founded by Clay Mitchell, a fifth-generation Iowa corn and soybean farmer with degrees in biomedical engineering and agronomy, and Eric O'Brien, a Silicon Valley venture capital veteran with financial services and operations experience, who met and became friends as undergrads at Harvard. Their friendship and professional paths intersected when the pair began evaluating AgTech opportunities together, which led to the creation of Fall Line Capital in 2011. Fall Line seeks to address the long-term supply and demand imbalance in agricultural commodities by combining the best of precision farming techniques with agronomy and the latest in new technologies to change the fundamental productivity and value of farmland. Fall Line's AgTech investments include Asilomar Bio, Benson Hill Biosystems, Granular (acquired by DuPont/Pioneer), GreenLight Biosciences, Hi Fidelity Genetics, and Planet, among others. The firm is headquartered in San Mateo, CA with regional offices across the United States. http://fall-line-capital.com
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