Dealflow | July 12, 2019

Harvest Returns’ Opportunity Fund will focus exclusively on sustainable agriculture

Jessica Pothering
ImpactAlpha Editor

Jessica Pothering

ImpactAlpha, July 12 – Fort Worth-based Harvest Returns is seizing on the Opportunity Zones tax benefit passed in the 2017 tax legislation to spur sustainable agriculture investment. The online marketplace for agriculture investing launched an Opportunity Fund to invest in agriculture projects in rural areas inside federally designated Opportunity Zones.

Harvest Returns is not the first investment marketplace to launch an Opportunity Zone fund. Commercial real estate investing platform Fundrise launched one in August last year. “Our Opportunity Zone Fund is unique in that it is one of the very few funds not focused on urban commercial real estate,” Harvest Returns’ Chris Rawley said.

Real estate funds move into opportunity zones, raising concerns about displacement

The platform is partnering with agtech fund manager FutureFoodCo and has reportedly surveyed $245 million in potential investments. The fund is open to accredited investors with a minimum investment of $25,000.