Nebraskans Making a Difference
We are a powerful network of some of Nebraska's top farmers, ranchers, and business leaders who have strategically forged a cooperative to set out on a big and crucial mission - working together to purchase land across our great state to help protect, defend, and preserve Nebraska’s land for our hardworking farmers and ranchers of today and tomorrow.
Members of the Nebraska Farmers Network have identified an urgent and rising threat to our land coming from investors from other states and nations. In fact, in just the last 10 years alone, Nebraska has witnessed a substantial eight-fold surge, equivalent to an 800% increase, in the amount of Nebraska land under foreign control. Specifically, the tally of foreign-owned acres in our state has drastically grown from 87,108 acres in 2012 to a much larger number of 791,176 acres in 2021, and this dangerous trend is expected to continue.
Why Build a Nebraska Owned Land Company?
First, we must address a pressing Need. We anticipate millions of acres of land will change hands in Nebraska in the coming decade as the baby boomer generation of farmers and ranchers retires. This change in ownership will take place across the whole state.
When this happens, we could witness a sudden change toward even more out-of-state and foreign ownership here in Nebraska, if investors or foreign nations are able to outbid our local farmers.
The second factor is the paramount importance of Safety. In the U.S. over 2,000 acres of high-quality farmland are regrettably lost to parking lots, apartment complexes and business projects, EVERY DAY. At the same time, our planet's population is growing faster than ever. Because of population expansion, the USDA projects that food production will need to expand by 70%.
With a growing global population and diminishing U.S. farmland, NFN members strongly agree that it is clearly to our advantage to invest in Nebraska agriculture land, according to the laws of supply and demand.
And finally, Profitability. Since the beginning of time, land has been regarded as one of the most valuable commodities. Mark Twain famously said, "Buy land, they aren't making it anymore." If Mark Twain were living in the present day, he might have voiced his view due to its limited supply AND the daily loss of land due to development.
Board of Directors
Justin Bennett Southeast Nebraska Board Member
Mr. Bennett grew up in Fairbury, Nebraska. For is post-graduate education, Mr. Bennett attended Southeast Community College in Milford, Nebraska studying John Deere Parts and later at Southeast Community College in Lincoln, Nebraska studying Business Administration. Following college, Mr. Bennett moved back to Fairbury, where he was employed by the family business, Oregon Trail Equipment, which merged with Landmark Implement in 2015. Mr. Bennett currently resides in rural Jefferson County, working for his family farming operation.
Western Nebraska Board Member
Western Nebraska Board Member, currently being interviewed.
Jason Lewis South Central Nebraska Board Member
Jason Lewis farms in Henderson, Nebraska growing corn and soybeans. After growing up in Kearney he attended the University of Nebraska Lincoln receiving a BS and MS in Horticulture before receiving a PhD from Kansas State University in Horticulture specializing in Turfgrass Science and Micrometeorology. Mr. Lewis was an associate professor at California Polytechnic State University- San Louis Obispo before returning to Nebraska to farm with his father-in-law. Mr. Lewis is currently involved with the Nebraska Corn Growers Association as the State Representative for Hamilton County, and as the Vice Chair of the Research and Stewardship Committee. For the National Corn Growers Association, Mr. Lewis currently serves as Chair of the Sustainable Ag Research Action Team (SARAT). Locally Mr. Lewis serves on the Gallaway Creek Golf Course Board and chairs the City of Hendersons Planning Commission.
Andy Albrecht North Central Nebraska Board Member
Andy Albrecht is a fourth-generation rancher farmer who manages his family ranch near Bassett, Nebraska. Mr. Albrecht grew up on his family’s feedlot, cow-calf operation, and row-crop farm near Thurston, Nebraska. Mr. Albrecht received a degree in Animal Science from Northeast Community College. Andy’s family’s operation, TA Cattle, raises Red Angus, Angus, Simmental, and Charolais seedstock, feeds out home-raised cattle and cattle purchased from their bull customers, as well as grows corn and soybeans. In addition to ranching, Mr. Albrecht is a feedlot specialist, helping feedlots acquire Angus and Red Angus feeder cattle that possess top-end growth and carcass traits, which allows these cattle feeders to provide high-quality beef in a fast and efficient manner. Because he knows the value of 4-H and wants to see the county fair grow, Andy serves as Vice President of the Rock County Ag Society.
Gabe Sanchez Chairman & Founder
From 2008 to 2017, Mr. Sanchez held executive management positions such as District Area Director, Executive Sales Director, and State Director for a capital markets company in the Midwest. He served as a consultant for several companies as an advisor for increased sales and marketing production. Mr. Sanchez helped multiple start-up companies raise needed seed money & Series-A capital through a proven marketing plan that has raised over $50MM in capital. Mr. Sanchez was a Vice President of Sales in a Lincoln, Ne construction company from 2018 to 2021 where he helped grow the company 900% in revenue. Mr. Sanchez's family farm was in Lincoln, NE since 1964. Despite his attempts to prevent the sale, his family sold their land to a developer in 2003. Since then, Mr. Sanchez has been committed to preserving Nebraska’s family farms. With over 15 years of experience in capital markets, portfolio management, and business development, Mr. Sanchez brings a unique mix of business acumen to the farmland real estate industry.
“The farm is how we protect our family, the farm is how we protect our livelihood...a legacy, and we take pride in that." -Gabe Sanchez
Northeast Board Member, currently being interviewed.