Where to buy a farm abroad with opportunities to actually farm

[willy]

I keep looking and currently am drawn toward South America Chile, Argentina and Brazil. but where else should I be looking?
And who has actually done it and how is it going.
My sister married a Kiwi and has farmed out there for the last 20 years but they no longer have the cheap land and are getting green washed like us

 

[Mercury]

Perhaps Uruguay?

 

[Blue.]

I keep looking and currently am drawn toward South America Chile, Argentina and Brazil. but where else should I be looking?
And who has actually done it and how is it going.
My sister married a Kiwi and has farmed out there for the last 20 years but they no longer have the cheap land and are getting green washed like us

I think you have to find somewhere with a huge land base USA etc,once we’ve royaly fûcked everything up they will be the ones to feed the world.

Saying that If I had my time again I’d have gone to France.

 

[steveR]

Perhaps Uruguay?

Had a hippy type aquaintance who moved there in the 90s and was very enthusiastic as although it was/is extremely Socialist Govt, there was still great support, morally and financially, for Agriculture.

He was farming 2-300ac as I recall, arable and a bit of livestock. Most surplus production was sold to China, even then. Very interesting to chat with and hear his take on things.

He was not a regular Visitor back to the UK in latter years, as he had a bit of a "run-in" with the Law owing to his close proximity to a certain spot of diversification in mid Wales into recreational narcotic production! ex. RAC if I remember rightly

 

[tractorsandcows]

Had a hippy type aquaintance who moved there in the 90s and was very enthusiastic as although it was/is extremely Socialist Govt, there was still great support, morally and financially, for Agriculture.

He was farming 2-300ac as I recall, arable and a bit of livestock. Most surplus production was sold to China, even then. Very interesting to chat with and hear his take on things.

He was not a regular Visitor back to the UK in latter years, as he had a bit of a "run-in" with the Law owing to his close proximity to a certain spot of diversification in mid Wales into recreational narcotic production! ex. RAC if I remember rightly

Are you sure it wasn't Colombia he went to

 

[yoki]

I keep looking and currently am drawn toward South America Chile, Argentina and Brazil. but where else should I be looking?
And who has actually done it and how is it going.
My sister married a Kiwi and has farmed out there for the last 20 years but they no longer have the cheap land and are getting green washed like us

Any chance a change of government may bring about a change of direction for NZ as a country?

Attacking their own farming industry always seemed like an extreme case of self-harm.

 

[teslacoils]

Depends if you want to basically do arable and animals like here, but somewhere else.

Plenty of exciting opportunities in poultry, pigs, palm oil, citrus etc in Asia.

My lad is in the chicken shed this morning. If he wanted to farm, I'd suggest he did similar in Asia or the middle east.

But I think most just want to replicate what the do here, in a country slightly warmer and with cheaper land, with a supportive government.

 

[Lazy Sod]

I keep looking and currently am drawn toward South America Chile, Argentina and Brazil. but where else should I be looking?

Do you speak Spanish or Portuguese? I could never have gone to live in another country if I wasn't fluent in the language already. To understand how everything works, what you're entitled to and what you're obligations are in the society is essential. I know that if you live in another country long enough, you'll eventually pick up the language but I would have wanted to know where I stood right from the beginning.

 

[Pilatus]

I think you have to find somewhere with a huge land base USA etc,once we’ve royaly fûcked everything up they will be the ones to feed the world.

Saying that If I had my time again I’d have gone to France.

@Roger Perry ,
May be able to answer some questions about farming, in his area of the USA.
His thoughts always seem very well balanced to me , from the posts he occasionally puts on TFF.

 

[Roger Perry]

A big part of success in your quest will depend on your ability to adapt to local conditions, language issues perhaps.?
UK ag is based on high cost production which does not always work in other locations, are you aiming for crop production or a ranch type situation.?

 

[steveR]

Are you sure it wasn't Colombia he went to

Different type of "product".

 

[Nearly]

But I think most just want to replicate what the do here, in a country slightly warmer and with cheaper land, with a supportive government.

Just want to be open to letting the kids decide in their 20's rather than them regretting in their 40's not having looked.
I don't want them saying it was my fault we didn't abandon the sinking ship when the salt water is up to our knees.

 

[Welderloon]

Used to work with a fantastic American lady who along with her Bolivian husband owned a sheep ranch in Bolivia.
1000's of acres, some of it quite bleak & barren, staff all rode horses, lived in a bunkhouse, only used quad bikes for close by work, very low levels of mechanisation & tech, 2 hr drive to the nearest town.
She reckoned everything was very civilised & the cost of living/lifestyle was cheap.

 

[teslacoils]

Just want to be open to letting the kids decide in their 20's rather than them regretting in their 40's not having looked.
I don't want them saying it was my fault we didn't abandon the sinking ship when the salt water is up to our knees.

What does your Mrs think?

I'd have to say that Mrs teslacoils has blocked almost every great ("stupid") idea I've had.

If I were going, it would be alone, or with a view to getting a new spouse.

 

[oil barron]

The window of opportunity to get going in Argentina is probably now before the economic recovery kicks in.

 

[czechmate]

Used to work with a fantastic American lady who along with her Bolivian husband owned a sheep ranch in Bolivia.
1000's of acres, some of it quite bleak & barren, staff all rode horses, lived in a bunkhouse, only used quad bikes for close by work, very low levels of mechanisation & tech, 2 hr drive to the nearest town.
She reckoned everything was very civilised & the cost of living/lifestyle was cheap.

Sounds like “The High Chaparral “

 

[czechmate]

I keep looking and currently am drawn toward South America Chile, Argentina and Brazil. but where else should I be looking?
And who has actually done it and how is it going.
My sister married a Kiwi and has farmed out there for the last 20 years but they no longer have the cheap land and are getting green washed like us

I remember talking to you on the phone (telescopic) some 8 years ago and you were thinking of moving abroad.
I too, was thinking about it for many years… by the time I actually did it I was too old to make the best of it

 

[Danllan]

I keep looking and currently am drawn toward South America Chile, Argentina and Brazil. but where else should I be looking?
And who has actually done it and how is it going.
My sister married a Kiwi and has farmed out there for the last 20 years but they no longer have the cheap land and are getting green washed like us

First, how much have you got to spend?

Then, go and live in the countries you list for a fair time, at least half a year, and then see if you are still enamoured by the thought of them. I have family who worked in Argentina, English Teachers up-country, and they loved it there, stayed for a few years but decided not to settle there. They speak fluent Spanish, and they love the people and culture but... they didn't want to be there forever. They did settle... in Chile; and are still there, love the country, have a family now and a successful business, but that's not ag'.

I've no experience of South America, only here and Africa from an owning / working perspective; have visited and stayed on farms in the US, Canada, Oz, NZ and over in Europe. Of all these, I think I'd still choose South-Central Africa if it were feasible, but it isn't, not really; if you ask nicely @Lowland1 may tell you about East Africa.

If it had to be South America, I'd go for Chile in general, or Argentina before it becomes un-affordable - actually it would have to be Chile since there is no way I could stomach the anti-colonalist crap about the Falklands in Argentina, in Spanish from the descendants of colonisers.

But in the real world, and with enough capital to start up with, I'd go for NZ or the US - that written, my understanding is also that NZ has not only changed in terms of what you can buy, buy in how to farm. I'd go for OZ too, but I think the climate is far more of an issue.

 

[Danllan]

I remember talking to you on the phone (telescopic) some 8 years ago and you were thinking of moving abroad.
I too, was thinking about it for many years… by the time I actually did it I was too old to make the best of it

Why did you choose France rather than elsewhere?

 

[Welderloon]

Sounds like “The High Chaparral “

The pictures of it looked like The High Chaparral....................only with sheep