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NeFU voices concerns with farmland purchases by Mormon Church

By Filed Under: Ag Land, Ag land values, Agriculture, Farmland, Human Interest, Nebraska, News

The president of Nebraska Farmers Union says he’s concerned about the large farmland purchases that the Mormon Church has been making in the state.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has bought nearly 370,000 acres of Nebraska agricultural land in recent years, and John Hansen tells Brownfield it’s creating some challenges for the state’s farmers and ranchers.

“Anytime you have a large outside entity with huge pocketbooks and they buy up farm or ranch land, it’s virtually impossible for local owners, especially beginning farmers or beginning ranchers, to ever begin to compete with the size of those pocketbooks.”

Hansen says the church could soon pass Ted Turner as the state’s largest landowner, and the state’s ag community has not been silent on the issue.

“I have yet to receive a happy phone call from somebody saying, ‘you can’t believe who’s just buying up land in my neighborhood.’ They’re always very concerned and they should be. They never think it’s a fair deal and they don’t think that their public officials at either the state or the federal level are doing much about it.”

An analysis by The Flatwater Free Press estimates the church now owns approximately $134 million of Nebraska farmland.

Hansen says he hopes the issue will be discussed during the 2024 Nebraska legislative session.

124 comments
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  • Who would you rather have the land?
    The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or China?
    Would China grow healthy food for human consumption?
    I think not.

    • Leilani, I am LDS and while I agree with your sentiment and acknowledge that I can’t see the future, it’s still unsettling. I’d so much rather have it in the hands of locals looking to homestead or farm and support their own families or families very nearby. In fact, it’s what we’re taught, to be self reliant. So it’s hard to reconcile when these conglomerates (outside of the Gospel it teaches the church is in fact a huge business) come in and rise prices inevitably with these huge purchases seemingly making it less amd less likely families will be able to afford it for themselves and their own sustainability.

      • Much rather have LDS Church purchasing and doing good all over the World then land being sold to China!! China buying up left and right!! In the USA

        • There is little difference to the Producers, Counties, State or Nation as to how these absent landowners holdings adversely are affected…..

      • Most everything grown on the church farms is given to hungry people all over the country and world.

        • The LDS church isn’t using this land to grow crops and feed the poor. These are for profit investments. It will be rented to Nebraska farmers. The money is then reinvested in buying other investments. The land and the rents are not being used to feed the poor. Only a very small portion of the LDS church’s farm land is used to feed the poor.

          • Travis. You have no idea what you saying. The majority of the LDS real estate is used for services, donations and the poor in the United States and around the world. The LDS church will grow foods for all religions and non religious people everywhere. They are in the business of helping God’s children everywhere. And that’s the bottom line with the LDS church.

          • Travis. You have no idea what you saying. The majority of the LDS real estate is used for services, donations and the poor in the United States and around the world. The LDS church will grow foods for all religions and non religious people everywhere. They are in the business of helping God’s children everywhere. And that’s the bottom line with the LDS church.

          • Investment for rentals or growing food. If the church is renting the land to locals, it’s not going to China and locals can still farm. If the church is farming the land, it’s providing jobs or help to the world. In Washington, the church owns more land than Bill Gates. The option is becoming share with the world, control the world, or provide population control. Who would you rather have buy the land?

      • How can the church continue to feel more people in it’s welfare program? Either it buys more farmland or they pay high prices for food.

      • Neither does the LDS Church, they don’t grow organic, byodynamic foods, face it…they are AS bad as China…they are in bed with China which is exactly why they’ve met up with the UN and all these globalist leaders, don’t think they care about their people, the more money they invest the more they make, their doos aren’t safe of any dangerous chemicals either…despite how wealthy they are, they don’t actually try to practice anything organic or byodynamic. If you care so much about people you’ll care about the quality of food you help them with, they have trillions of dollars, look into this, you’ll see

        • And how, EXACTLY, would you know this information? This is not true. Post your proof rather than just stating something that some moron told you and now you’re moron enough to repeat it.

        • Are you crazy, last report I saw had nearly 74% of all foods labeled organic in stores, even whole foods, we’re loaded with chemicals. Don’t try to pass off that talking point as anything but stupidity.

        • I don’t particularly like the lds church but if if you think they are as bad as China you’re very ignorant or very delusional. Think back to the baby food scandal, if they are ok with poisoning infants just how much toxins are they putting in other food. I will always support Americans owning American land over the Chinese owning it, and at least it’s being used as farmland not turned into mega subdivisions.

        • LDS in bed with china? are you crazy/ Our GOV. is in bed with china the democrats are in bed with china. LDS church has been persecuted by the GOV since they established driven out of the county only to be begged to come back. if you care about the people as you say why are the farmers selling to the LDS church? Sell to another farmer you have that option, oh that’s right they care about themselves more money sell to higher bidder not for principal. Hippocrates.

        • Oh Wendy,

          Do you have personal knowledge about the use of harmful chemical the church supposedly use? Have you visited a church farm to see how they operate? If so please share here. Just because you hear something from people, does not make it true. We need facts not accusation.

        • You know nothing of the LDS church. An organization that sends out millions of humanitarian aide throughout the world. You never hear about it because of the news but they’re in countries hours. Secondly, after working at their raisin farm and receiving help. I know it works. Lastly, don’t make comments you know nothing about.

          • Thanks Bradley. For 2 years I “worked” at an LDS store house run by the Mormon,LDS. You can’t imagine the amount of food GIVEN to people, even military who have a hard time making enough. From mops to eggs and cheese & fresh produce was given. Also, abt 100 turkies donated.
            Also worked @ helping employ 100s of those who looked for work. Please available yourselves to the humanitarian work of the LDS. The effort is world wide. All work is voluntary. LDS in Africa is amazing.

      • It’s not going to raise prices. The food that the church grows, is not sold on the open market. It’s used in the Bishop’s storehouse for those who are trying to become self reliant. Either personal storage or those in need.

      • The church has a bigger mission than that. Yes, we are taught to be autonomous, so that we don’t have to rely on the church. But we have many more brothers and sisters that need help around the world. The mission of the church is to help globally. It’s going to take a lot of farmland to accomplish that goal. Which is a far better goal than trying to fatten your own pocket book like Ted Turner.

      • The LDS church will be a great neighbor, and as stated in other comments, the small farmers and ranchers will benefit from the church being there. As for the small family farms, most families have those to provide for themselves, not the masses. We have a 39 acre farm in Missouri and though we raise our own beef, pork, rabbit meat, Scottish Highland milk, our farm is a tax deduction. It’s never made us a profit. It is small, so expenditures are always more than revenue, ever year, it’s why my son-in-law and I still have full time careers. Yes, we are a multigenerational family with 12 people (4 generations) in our farm home.
        . . . and yes, we are active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

        This article is just about Nebraska, the church owns one of the largest cattle ranches in Florida in that state. It’s why the church can provide millions if not billions of humanitarian aide around the world.

    • China owns lots of farm land here and in lots of countries and they farm to take it back to China a
      .. why are we doing business with them .. they will pollute the ground because they are not going to sell it here ..
      The church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints has never denied people needing food .. they have a bishop storehouse that is amazing and is for everyone in need not matter their religion or denomination.. is all done through volunteers .. if there is an earthquake guess who donates food to the red cross to other countries to people here at home that lost their job .. why is the Union so against it .. who is he representing.. who did he vote for what does he stand for .. I will like to know more about where his thoughts are coming from .. just watch the Chinese, Bill gates and soros purchase the land under someone else name for their own gain .. crazy world we are living in .

      • No, COMMUNIST China, an arm of that Dragon Satan, through leader Xi, has and buys the farmland around our U.S. military bases — most likely NOT TO FARM IT, but according to our Pentagon and government, who have surmised that it is to SPY on us TO LEARN OUR MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, so that the Communists can use it against our military and our country to overcome us and bind us into slavery like they have their own citizens and now they have done to Hong Kong in taking away their individual freedoms and of commerce also ! They are the enemies of our democracy, agency, and freedoms. God did not intend America to be owned by foreign powers, but it is our greedy citizens who allow such evil foreign takeovers to harm us and our country’s God-given Democracy which are given us through our United States Constitution, which God inspired to be written for our safety now, by righteous God-fearing men, For our protections NOW in these Latter Days on this land for our citizens well-being, if we support it through Voting good people into our Federal and State governments who support the Constitution !

    • The Federal gov’t owns 250 million acres of land.

      2.04 million acre of farms on 900 million acres. Ted Turner owns 2 million acres. Bill Gates 240,000 acres. John Malone owns 2.2 million acres. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints owns 1.7 million acres of land about 50% is farm land or 850,000 acres of farm land. .

      There are better farm issues like

      1) Seed monopolies (Monsanto, DuPont, Dow, Syngenta control over 50% of the world’s seed supply. That’s a real farm issue.

      2) 85% of meat packing from four companies (Tyson, JBS, Cargill, and NBPC). That’s a real farm issue.

      3) Paraquat made by China, sold by China in US, but banned in China. Paraquat increases Parkinson’s 500%.

      4) Pesticides and Herbicides increase cancer and food allergies.

      5) If the US went Organic Food like it’s gone Solar and EV’s, would we save $1 trillion in health care? We spend $1 trillion on food and $4 trillion on health care.

      Our good farmers take a beating from farm chemicals. Many die from horrific cancers and brain diseases. These are real farm issues. Not churches buying farms.

    • Leilani, you’ve committed the logical fallacy of creating a strawman. An argument against the corporate LDS Church buying Nebraska farmland is not an argument in favor of Chinese ownership of that land and nobody is trying to make that argument. The argument is that the LDS Church does not have an interest in the effects of its financial decisions on the average, everyday Nebraskan. The land is better off under the control of local farmers.

    • I’m LDS all my life here’s what I think. If something terrible happens the LDS Church will do everything they can to feed EVERYBODY. THE Y DO NOT WANT YOU TO STARVE! Money is not the object feeding starving people is! If something terrible happens they will try to get everybody in the area that they can to help feed the poor. I’m a old guy now. When I was young I worked in LDS canneries for free producing canned food for the poor. It was a lot of fun. I learned a lot from the other volunteers. Example: we made jam in Washington, State. One guy was with the FBI, another was the college president, another was Gorden Smith a US congressmen, and his wife, engineers from Hansford nuclear site. I was a USDA food inspector. All kinds of other people men, women some unemployed. It was a lot of fun! Good way to spend a Saturday. Plus when we were through we smelled like berry jam so fun!

  • I understand the concern for beginning and local ranchers. That said, the large buyers aren’t going away. If it’s not Turner or the Mormons it will be someone else. I’m familiar with their operations and the community. They take very good care of the country, they operate efficiently, they attract high quality employees to be part of the community. If you kick them out are you going to get a worse entity?

    • If the federal, state and local government helped the farmers more to stay in business instead of pushing their face in the dirt all the time by taxing them so much and creating such stupid laws they would still be in business and this wouldn’t be an issue.

  • Have any of you seen the Latter Day Saint properties? They are beautiful, well manicured, environmentally thoughtful. They’re also are the largest landowner and beef producer in Florida. They work closely with environmental protection agencies to make sure land is preserved and protected. If you are so passionate about our farmland, then spend some time finding out the facts and not listen to those that yell the loudest with anger.
    Proud to be from a farming family

    • I find it comforting that the LDS church is investing in property. It will be used for farming. The farm land around me has been sold for housing, to the point that I no longer have farm land around me, but houses.

    • 3 minutes on Google reveals:
      76878 sq mi x 640 acr/mile= 49,201,920 land acres in NE. 370,000 acres purchased /49,201,920 total = 0.00752 or 0.752% of state land mass.
      370,000acres/25,229 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in NE = 14.6 acres/member.
      370,000 acres/ 16000000 worldwide members = 0.023 acres/member. But, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints feeds the whole world, not just its members….for free!
      Why do these articles keep appearing?
      Why the animus, jealousy, and racism?
      If you value your land, farm your land. Don’t sell it. Work the land. Don’t abandon it or let it become derelict. Don’t pave it or build buildings on it. Don’t pollute or mismanage it. Above all, please don’t blame others who are some of the best stewards of that land imaginable.

      • I agree with the sentiment of your message and compared to some other options it is of course better but staying local is of course best for smaller towns and farmers. People like to put the LDS church on a pedestal that it doesn’t deserve to be on. Does it donate money and food? Yes of course. But it’s only an incredibly tiny fraction of the money that they have on hand and could use. The LDS church is a business first religion second and if you can’t see that you’re not looking. Just using the last year or so as an example the church isn’t beyond reproach and their actions should at least be reviewed and evaluated whether you are a member or not.

        • Scott,
          “staying local is of course best for smaller towns and farmers.” How local do the 25,000 members of the Church in NE have to be?
          “People like to put the LDS church on a pedestal that it doesn’t deserve to be on.” You are right, it deserves a much, much larger pedestal here in NE, for the amazing good it does.
          “Does it(the church) donate money and food? Yes of course. But it’s only an incredibly tiny fraction of the money they have on hand and can use.” What is that tiny fraction Scott? You have no idea. Would people, motivated by greed, envy, or sloth be more likely to take that rainy day fund, if the Church sent everyone in America a complete financial report? Any dollar amount divided by 17,000,000 gets real small, real fast. Divided by 8,000,000,000 and it is gone in an instant.
          “The LDS church is a business first, religion second and if you can’t see that you’re not looking.” Do members of the Church need to be looking, or is it better for millions to donate accross centuries with faith in God that He will make something better of it?
          “the church isn’t beyond reproach and their actions should at least be reviewed and evaluated whether you are a member or not.”
          No one claims they are perfect, but you want them to be held to that standard. Who reviews, evaluates, penalizes, and takes away? Whether they report as one company, or a dozen companies, they have reported, every year. The government got their share one way or another. How much more of a share do you believe the government should get? Will that affect all churches, charitable organizations, and philanthropic societies, or just the LDS church buying ranchland? Is donating $1,000,000,000 a year too much or too little? I say too little, but rest assured, more is coming. I’m not going to hold it against some of the best people on the planet, because they didn’t get their detractors approval for buying and running a 370, 000 acre cow-calf ranch. When is my day to volunteer at the church ranch? Sign me up!

    • I’m proud to be a consumer of good farming practices…no matter who owns the farm! Let’s just be glad there are still hard working people who are willing to get their hands dirty!!

    • Environmentally thoughtful????? Ha Ha! They cover prime land with blacktop parking lots, stakehouses, and gaudy temples. They cut down mature trees and plant pretty pink petunias.

      I’ve lived in Utah since 1984: the mormon church has proven over and over that it could care less about the environment and more about hoarding corporate cash that they hide behind religious tax exemptions. It cannot be trusted.

      • Your dislike of a church and it’s culture has nothing to do with this discussion. They are good stewards of lands wherever they are. Get out of Utah and go see!

      • I couldn’t agree with you more. Members of the LDS Church blindly accept everything the church does as being divine. I’ll never understand how people treat the church as if it’s beyond reproach after all the SEC fraud and abuse scandals that have gone on. People need to wake up and look at the proof not the warm fuzzy feeling they get in their belly that is completely based upon programming not reality.

        • Scott, if you want to hate on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, you can. It is your right. You have the free agency to do just that. I would die defending your right to do so. Probably not the right forum here for that, though.
          “Members of the LDS Church blindly accept everything the church does as being divine.” You know that is not true. Every member knows that mankind, and even leaders are fallible. They say it a lot! They are not perfect, but they mostly try to be better all the time. If you know of a better way to Ranch 370,000 acres of cow-calf ranch land, go out to Salt Lake City and let them know.
          “all the SEC fraud”??? Whether the leaders of their financial firm filed earnings statements as one business or under the many affiliate businesses they run, they still paid their taxes on profits as required to do. They even started filing as the government wanted 3 years prior to their firm being fined. And still they paid the fine! Fortunately, members seem to still believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ, not in a CPA.
          “Abuse scandals”??? When you put imperfect men in charge of, let’s say, about 500,000,000 personal one on one interviews with young, defenseless, impressionable people, over a couple hundred years, (in a world where the adversary is doing his best to destroy the very best things this world has to offer), one of the real miracles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is just how infrequently that happens.
          That “warm fuzzy feeling in your belly” is there for a reason. Find it, realize why the Holy Ghost is there, what He is trying to tell you, remember the feeling, look for it over and over again throughout your life, make decisions with it, repent because of it, serve others with it, know that God loves you enough to warm fuzzy your belly.
          Sometimes using ranchland to feed the world is not about hate.

        • I am a member of the church. I am a full tithe payer. And I fully trust in the governing of the church and its finances. The church will utilize its billions of dollars in many ways. It will develop communities, shopping centers and utilize numerous other appropriate investments to grow its portfolios. I’m good with that. Since the early 2000’s the church has been the first to respond to every disaster throughout the world. I have seen the medical equipment (MRI and X-ray machines etc) that were sent to needy developing countries. I have met senior missionaries who have put in wells for communities in Africa that had no available water. I visited the bishop’s storehouse and have seen their distributions to people all over the world. I am glad the church is purchasing farmland. They will be great proprietors. They may even purchase land to develop more homes and commercial properties. Who better. People don’t want the church to purchase the property. If they don’t then someone will. If you don’t want anyone to purchase the land then change the laws that allow this to occur. Since you haven’t, well you’ll have some pretty good neighbors.

      • Lorien, where would you have them meet every week? Where would you have them make the most eternally consequential covenants that can be made with our Heavenly Father? Any idea how many trees the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has planted? Obviously not. I noticed you did not list one example of “caring less about the enviornment”. Need corporate cash? Become a member, and it’s yours. Current share 49,000,000,000/17,000,000 =$2882. If you don’t mind robbing some widows of their mites. Destroying religious freedom. Seeing people in third world countries die of thirst. Stopping people from finding jobs. Educating the world. Not feeding the world. Please stop the hate.

    • I am no longer LDS, but this is consistent with their stated values. When I was a young LDS, you needed to be a member in good standing to take from the bishops storehouse. Things do change though and now even blacks can have priesthood. I remember volunteer work at a couple of stake farms as they were called then.

  • You said no one was happy with them buying the land. for some reason I bet the seller is happy :-). on a serious note there are large buyers of land happening everywhere. I just read about Soloviev buying massive tracts in Colorado. So now are they going to have legislation that no one can own large tracts of land or just churches can’t buy large tracts but Ted turner and Bill Gates can? Sounds like anti-capitalist me. I thought Nebraska was a bit more conservative than to embrace that ideology.

  • so Nebraska is going to pass laws to bar churches from buying land? will they also pass laws from Bill Gates and Ted Turner from having land? I always thought Nebraska was conservative and embraced capitalism. seems like they want to go the other way.

    I think the fact is farmland is getting extremely high priced all over the country. unless you’re going to subsidize new farmers I don’t know how anyone can break into farming or if they inherit the land I guess that’s another option.

  • At 6,840 The average Farmland price in Nebraska for 370,000 acres it comes to approximately 2.5 Billion Dollars 20 times more than the article says. Always downplaying the real $$$’s . An analysis by The Flatwater Free Press estimates the church now owns approximately $134 million of Nebraska farmland. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has bought nearly 370,000 acres of Nebraska agricultural land in recent years,

    • Cordell, I was able to spend about 8 minutes on Google and find you some much different data than you quoted above. The 370,000 acres of ranch or cattle-calf land (not center pivot row crop farmland) in question, run through Garden, (through the Sand Hills), into Grant, Hooker, Morrill, and Sheridan counties. Nebraska Farm Real Estate Highlights for 2023 list nontillable grazing land in those Northwest and North districts as valued from $575 to $870/acre. In an effort not to downplay the numbers, that equals $212,750,000 to $321,900,000, not $2,500,000,000. Lots of comas and zeros I know. Also, a lot more than the Flatwater Free Press recently estimated at $134,000,000(possibly due to all the Sand Hills). Lots of $$$ and zeros for land that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has ranched for 30 years. Why is this a story now? Wonder why the purchase price back then is not the quoted number? Why was Maralago reported to be worth $18,000,000? Because ‘reporters’ have agendas, biases, animosities, grudges, etc. Truth and morality often lose out to making $$$ off writing a ‘story’. Why do these articles keep appearing?
      Why the animus, jealousy, and bigotry of these stories?
      If you value your land, farm your land. Don’t sell it. Work the land. Don’t abandon it or let it become derelict. Don’t pave it or build buildings on it. Don’t pollute or mismanage it. Above all, please don’t blame others who are some of the best stewards of that land imaginable.

  • Having spent several days with the managers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ranching operation in Florida, I was very impressed with their care and respect of the land. They pay taxes just like every other ranch in Florida. They have a 100 year plan in place and work to make sure the land is well cared for. It was a beautiful sight to see.

  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is no competition with local farmers. They have an amazing food production operation and feed the hungry at no cost.
    They would not have purchased if the land wasn’t for sale.
    There isn’t another entity I would rather have own farm land than this church.
    I am a member and have volunteered my service to help harvest in their orange groves.
    We feed the hungry, cloth the naked, and take care of the fatherless and widows, just as the Savior has asked all of us to do.

  • The argument that some government agency should stand between willing buyers and willing sellers is antithetical to freedom. The underlying argument is that, in America , you can only do what the government permits you to do. Does this smell of religious bigotry? Naah!

  • Is no one complaining about Ted Turner? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will do more to preserve the land than many smaller farmers who are selling off their lands to developers for the quick buck.

  • There are the idle talkers in this world, and there are those who put their heads down and get to work. I am the product of ‘Mormon’ workers. Since the 1830s and before that even, I can see how petty jealous banter of idle talkers has robbed me and my family and many other families of the product of their labors. I challenge the author of this article and those who get their pantaloons in a bunch over these sorts of alarmist rants to put a little more effort into actual building up of things, rather than showing their ugly envy and trying to interfere with other people’s business. A steady, consistent and positive effort toward the benefit of themselves and those around them will benefit our great country. A little sweat never hurt anyone.

  • Shouldn’t you be more concerned about the land being bought by China? The Church owes a lot to help the needs of our people. China doesn’t.

  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not go by Mormon and has not for some time. Using it in the article and article title calls in to question the author’s professionalism as a journalist.

    While the church does own a fair amount of land in many states for farm and religious use and uses the land in ethical and environmentally friendly ways, I can see how it would be upsetting to local farmers who can’t compete and see their home land purchased by non locals. I agree with the comment above. If not the church, it would be someone else, and I am afraid someone else wouldn’t be quite so conscientious with how is used.

    • Hi Mandy,
      Thank you for the comment. I assure you Brownfield has the highest of standards when it comes to professionalism and our integrity as journalists. Brent uses the official name, as directed by President Russell M. Nelson in 2018, in the body of the story. But uses the long-time accepted shortened version for brevity, and as a direct quote from the interviewee.

      Sincerely,
      Admin

  • I’ve had a lot of concern about farm land and farmers. China’s buying up land. Gates is buying up land. Cities are annexing huge amounts for developers to build on. Plus, the federal government is subsidizing government growers to over-produce certain crops for non-food industries. People who want to be real farmers can’t afford inflated land values or compete in government controlled markets.

  • Check the church welfare program out they can and prosses tons of food that feeds millions of people in this country and around the world they are one of the first people that comes to the aid when there is a disaster. All volunteer work and its doesn’t cost the people that receives the help so please don’t worry they will be a great neighbor you never know someday you might need their help.

  • Bring LDS myself our church purchasing this farmland will help every one have food sustainably. No one will be be without food LDS or not.
    We we’re taught to keep a Year’s supply of food for emergencies and to share it with others if possible. To grow our own gardens and if possible raise our own meat. We’re not trying to take over or kick anyone out.

  • If you look into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; you would learn they have many farms, ranches, and orchards all across the USA as well as in other countries. They use the property well. They harvest their fields and fill up their storehouses. When hurricanes, tornados, fires, earthquakes and other calamities come they are prepared to help ALL people. This food is not sold to others but given freely to all people. Having this ranch in their community is a big blessing. They will reap the rewards. They will continue to make their profits and livelihood. I’d much rather gave a religious organization than a for profit next to my farmland.

  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints grows food that is used to feed families in need. It is given free of charge to the poor, unemployed, disabled. It is donated to local food banks. It is sent to disaster areas around the world to feed people where normal food distribution networks have been disrupted, in cooperation with organizations like Catholic Charities, the Red Crescent, and the Red Cross. Some of the food produced is sold into the market to sustain the charitable operations. In Florida, the Church-owned Deseret Ranch us known for guarding and restoring wetlands and other natural habitat and being good stewards of the land. It is also an asset where funds are stored that can be tapped if economic conditions worsen. The Church, unlike most Protestant denominations, has no career clergy. No one gets paid to be the leader of a local congregation. Apart from about a hundred full time leaders for the HQ of the 17 million member Church, all ecclesiastical positions are filled with part time, unpaid volunteers, who support their families with normal careers in business, law, medicine, teaching, public service, the military, and yes, farming. No one personally profits from the assets owned by the Church, including farmland. The Church is headquartered in Utah, and it has hundreds of thousands of members in Nebraska and adjacent states. It is not a foreign nation that sends spy balloons over America. The First Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits state and Federal government from discriminating against a church.

    After people in Illinois murdered Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, Brigham Young led the Latter-day Saints across Iowa to an internediate camp at the Missouri River, founding Council Bluffs. Another temporary gathering was located in what is now North Omaha, where there is a cemetary for those who died at Winter Quarters, and a temple. For over a decade, Omaha was the starting point of the Mormon Trail across Nebraska and Wyoming to Salt Lake City. Tens of thousands walked those miles until the Union Pacific was.finished in 1869. The “mormons” were pioneers of Nebraska. They are not aliens.

  • I agree with Leilani – LDS Church vs. China, and Bill Gates Company or large overseas companies. It’s not a land grab. The way I see it, they (we) are trying to make sure our agricultural sector is sustainable and they are literally protecting US soil.

  • The LDS are preppers. It makes me feel better knowing mormons have the land to keep American from starving. I don’t believe there’re buying all that land to hurt the farmers. We are going to need all the farmers we can to feed America. The millions coming into this country will put a big strain on are food chain. Maybe opening communications between the farmer and the Mormons land owner and expressing their concerns would help alleviate the farmer worries.

  • Better the LDS church than China..
    Unfortunately the next generation in general doesn’t want anything to do with farming/ranching.
    Hopefully the church can step in and take care of the land for the time being.

  • A union that wants to control what others do, now there’s a novel idea. So, you want to limit what a farmer can sell his/her land for? I don’t see any difference between this and a large established farmer gobbling it up to grow their operation. Why not go after Ted Turner? As one comment noted, at least it’s not China.

  • Turner gates zuckerberg all go in to farming and ranching. And when they control your food supply, they control you , at least with a church you could depend on them to distribute the food to people who need it.

  • This doesn’t surprise me! For a corporation that wants to control others and fill up their pocket books. It’s very sad.
    Yes, other big companies will come which are just like the Mormon church. It’s all about control, influence, and power for any corporation. The Mormon church is like every other corporation out there.
    I’m not trying to bad mouth but after leaving the church my eyes are open and the truth is right there.

    • What is the purpose of the money? It’s not lining the pockets of others. It’s to strengthen the church, to build a scaffolding through hard times so it can support others. Money makes money. And it takes money to help others. I never understand the protest of strengthening the church. Your eyes are not open, but closed to your prejudice. I’m sure China or Gates would look after others. This large land sale was open to Nebraskans also. Oh, and many Mormons are Nebraskans.

      • This is very true! you only after being in the bishopric of a local LDS congregation can you ever know the extent that the church goes to help people, because it is a tenant of the church to do their alms without fanfare.

        Especially in large cities, they at times called every week by many nonmembers for help of one type or another.
        Every week they are literally filling the gas tanks and the grocery carts of thousands and thousands of people who are not members of the church throughout the world.

        This is all by lay ministers (Bishops their counselors etc) that have their own personal jobs and are being ministers in the church on their free time.

        In fact some Stakes (similar to a diocese) of the church have a designated rotating calendar where bishops take turns as the designated welfare Bishop (who uses the churches food stuff stores) to field calls and provide assistance because they get so many calls for help, from passer by’s through who break down or indigent down on their luck.

      • The church helps many many people, but they believe in not casting your arms before men.
        The Bishop storehouse is food produced by the church and many people throughout the world. Many of them nonmembers are given a hand by the church every week in food stuff, etc…

  • The LDS Church has a welfare system, Deseret Industries, that produces food, canned, dried pastas, soups and staples, fresh vegetables, dairy products and meats that assists thousands of people across this country in their time of need. The church donates to local food banks as well. Anytime there is a natural disaster in this country, and around the world, you will see the LDS, Mormon, church sending food, clothing, and money to assist those in their desperate need.
    The LDS church is headquartered here in Utah and has always owned a lot of farming land here in the Salt Lake Valley, Utah Valley. As I have aged, those farms here have been gobbled up by communities in subdivisions as the population grows. I have wondered what the church might be doing to assure they can continue to supply that assistance, personally I am glad to hear they are purchasing farmland in available places. 😃

  • The article used a fallacy to try and make a point, specifically that neighboring land owners don’t “feel” like the transaction between a seller and the LDS Church was a good or fair deal. Well, it’s not up to the nosy neighbor to determine whether the deal was fair or not, the seller obviously thought it was fair or they wouldn’t have sold. Like many, I would much rather see a US entity known for not only its generosity but also strong support for family and community as a buyer much more than either an antagonistic domestic buyer or a foreign entity. Like it or not, large farm buyers are here to stay and rather than clutch your pearls and label them all as bad, why don’t we introduce some nuance into the discussion so we don’t cut off our nose in spite of our face.

  • I’m a Nebraskan and a Mormon. I understand that the church will take good care of the land, however, land is not just land in Nebraska. It’s a culture and lifestyle. Local farmers have struggled to survive for generations and pass on their legacy and nestegg to their posterity. A large corporation buying up that land makes history and opportunity scarce and it interrupts what is a very tight knit local economy. The Nebraska way of life is becoming a thing of the past and only those who understand the heritage can feel what I’m trying to express. Nebraska has been burned by corporations in the past. Bass Pro took over Cabela’s and practically shut down Sidney and ConAgra insisted on demolishing Omaha historic sites for their campus, only to pack up and move headquarters to Chicago… We don’t trust an outside corporation to understand the local culture and economic needs. With that said, what’s done is done and I hope the church will do right by the land and people.

    • It’s not going to raise prices. The food that the church grows, is not sold on the open market. It’s used in the Bishop’s storehouse for those who are trying to become self reliant. Either personal storage or those in need.

      • I can assure you that much of the food produced is sold. A relatively small portion is used in Bishops storehouses. Do you have any idea how much grain is grown on even 1,000 acres?

  • I think it’s awesome that the Church of Jesus Christ is buying this land. They often lease it back to local farmers and they use it to feed the less fortunate. I agree with others. If they don’t buy it other rich people will. Land doesn’t just sit around for the little guy to buy it up. That’s not how it works anywhere in the world. Economics people, we don’t live in the days of homesteading!

  • A separate issue is who wants to be a rancher or farmer now days? They are aging out and selling the land since they can’t find kin to take it over and work the land for a good stable income. I’d rather an American founded religion that has a history of supporting local communities during disasters and emergencies with food and supplies, to acquire the land ahead of Steve Jobs, a large corporation or foreign government.

  • Probably the most important reason the church is buying farmland is for the time when people have to return to the soil, so they can help feed the people.
    President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “while at the same time farms are available as an agricultural resource to feed people, should there come a time of need.”

    • Ask the homeless in Salt Lake how helpful the Mormons are , they build temples like they are churches. Great use of money and resources. They are not very Christ like.

      • People the church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints is only doing what God has instructed us to do.Stop falling into the Devils pit. Why not try praying about this situation. So please stop believing what Satan wants you to believe.

      • Richard, Wo unto those that call good, evil. If you hate The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, you hate the church. That is your heart, your responsibility, your right. However, multitudes of indigent and homeless people in Salt Lake City have been served by the Church. Many more will be helped in the future. The Lord allowed my family to care for 3 young men, keeping them from being homeless there. In addition to tithes and offerings. Big woop… I could/should have done more. That is being Christlike.
        My first 2 second Google search turned up one $10,000,000 donation in 2017. How much is enough in your understanding or preference that they give? How much is sustainable? Have you gone to SLC to see how good the streets look? Maybe, give them some advise on how you think the Lord should use His funds and resources? Or, would you choose to throw money(often used to buy drugs) at the homeless, without any real hope or plan they will improve their lives or eternal destinies?. The Church of Jesus Christ cares for and serves the needy. Need a job, see a Ward or Stake employment specialist. Need food? See a local bishop. Need counseling to overcome addiction, better your family, conquer deperssion, or other mental health disorders? They provide it for free. Need networking and human connections with other people? Come to Church activities. Need to grow spiritually? Stop by for worship services at any of those wonderfully built churches. The members of the church are some of the most Christlike on earth. The Savior’s way is learning to become self sufficient. How do you propose to care for those that refuse to allow the Lord to help? If the Savior wants to teach a man to fish, and you step in and prevent that, are you really Christlike?

  • Did you all forget that God, himself, and his son, Jesus Christ owns the world because he created it.! If you have any qualms with his church buying his land back from the Gentiles, which he doesn’t have to buy back, because he already owns the land he created, then get down on your knees and argue it with him, and get your own testimony of the good that his church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, is doing for your good ! ! In the scriptures, God and Jesus Christ each say that those who fight against their purposes on the Earth will get a (sad) reward, like Governor Boggs and others who have fought against his church, and their lives ended up sadly because of their evil ways of killing Joseph Smith Jr. His Prophet, and torturing and killing the Saints, whom they did, following Satan, that horrible Dragon (see ‘Revelations’ in the Bible), who will continue to deceive men to kill and do evil and say evil things to stir up men’s and women’s hearts, until Christ comes and binds him up in chains for a thousand years ! Again, Jesus Christ does NOT HAVE TO HAVE HIS CHURCH BUY BACK HIS LAND TO FARM ON, to grow crops and animals for food to feed the poor and needy, Jesus Christ has his Prophet and Christ’s own Corporation to do so, out of his loving heart to help provide the money to help the farmers who feel they need to sell their land back to Jesus Christ to move on with the needs in their lives. God and his Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, are having the church in Christ’s name to be in our modern age, as his son Joseph of old who was sold into Egypt, by his older brothers out of jealousy, but who because of his righteous willingness obeyed God and interpreted a dream of Pharoah, and then was allowed to raise crops and animals and who built storehouses for what was raised, for 7 years time ! Then God allowed there 7 years of drought where nothing grew and most animals died ! Joseph’s obedience to God saved lives ! Our lesson to learn is to Not fight against God’s goodness and righteous ways, as it just might be for our benefit in these Last Days before Jesus Christ comes again onto the Earth !

  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is most definitely NOT an outside entity. The church has been in Nebraska since the mid 1840’s since the Mormon pioneers traveled though Nebraska on the historic trek to what would one day be the state of Utah. The land that the church purchases is twofold in nature, we use the land as an investment and we also use the land to raise cattle on or grow crops on to use in the churches vast welfare system. The food raised is then processed though church owned canneries and is stocked on shelves in the bishops storehouse in various locations around the country and across the world. Nothing in the bishops storehouse is sold, it is used to feed and bless those in need who may have difficulty meeting the nutritional needs of themselves or their family. We feed both members of the church and non members alike, they need only meet with a bishop of the church to request assistance. During these challenging economic times, the need for welfare assistance is great and so the church must of necessity have vast property holdings to meet the ever increasing needs of others. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints isn’t out to be any serious competition to the farmers and ranchers in any of the states where it has land holdings. Perhaps, those concerned with the land holdings of the church ought to request a meeting with LDS church officials about their concerns and hear the church’s position and what it intends to use the land for. The church is a good neighbor and would be happy to attend a public meeting to address legislative and public concerns.

  • Most church farms ive been to employ local farmers in concert with people that need employment. It might be worth researching the impact to the communities where there are already church farms that have been operating for years

  • The article is missing what the LDS church is doing with the land. Is it sitting dormant? Is it being farmed? Who’s working the farms? Is it a source of employment for locals? Where is the food going? Are they developing the land?

    I have more questions than answers after reading this so it’s hard to form an opinion.

  • I was raised on farms and ranches in Arizona. My Father share croped a full section of land with a local land owner. cotton was the major crop. Latter Day Saint church purchased a full section of land adjacent to the section he was share cropping. He entered a share cropping agreement to manage that section.
    The cash crop was cotton. The Church required that he plant a large field of corn. At harvest time members of the church and community, without pay, voluntarily harvested the corn. It was loaded pickup trucks and delivered to a Church owned packing shed where another group of volunters shucked, processed, and canned the corn.
    From there the corn was sent to Bishop store houses for needy local residences and to the massive welfare system of the church.
    From this massive warehouse all kinds of food and products go out to disaster points and other charity organizations.
    It is true that the church has farms, ranches, and businesses for profit. These for-profit entities do pay income taxes.
    For one I am most pleased with what the church does with its massive wealth.
    For one I have enough confidence in that use of funds that I feel privileged to pay a tithing fund for the church’s programs.
    Have a look at the said property now and again after the church puts it into production. One day you may be a benefactor of this effort to feed the hungry and care for the needy.

  • I love the local Nebraskan farm culture. I would encourage Nebraska to set up a fund to buy farmland and a lease to buy program for local farmers. Until you get something like that set up, it’s either an American church or China or progressive socialists billionaires like Turner and Gates. So protect your culture, it deserves it. But until you do, you should welcome the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as a far better alternative.

  • Apparently the LDS Church and China are the only two buyers that could possibly purchase Nebraska farmland.

    I’m not sure what the LDS Church wants with so much land, but I agree it’s better than China.

  • My father share cropped a section of land that was purchased by the L.D.S. (Mormon) church. I worked on that farm along with my father and brothers. My father’s income from the operation was a share of the cash crop of cotton grown on a part of the land. The major interest of the church was the acres of corn.
    The corn was harvested, processed, canned, and shipped to the church’s massive welfare square. From there shared with disaster arias, Bishop warehouses, and other charitable originations.
    These other originations then distribute it to people they help through hard times
    If you have questions about the care of church properties take a look at the property as it now is and then again after the church puts it into production and then inquire as to the use of what is produced there.

  • This is so insane! Sounds like the president of the Nebraska farmers union is in bed with China. This/he is an example of the dumb downed America we live in. Totally unintelligent people occupying the tops of organizations that we rely on.

  • Everyone keeps pointing fingers at the entities who are buying the land but no one is pointing fingers at the locals who are selling the land. No one is forcing the locals to sell their land but their own greed.

  • If only our Federal Government would follow the same practices as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints of being debt free, we would all be much better off as a society.

    • Understand your concerns for farmers. However, food produced by the Chur h does not compete with farmers. It goes to the poor and disaster areas of the world.

  • The comment on January 12th at 4:34pm supposedly by Russell m Nelson, does not sound like him at all. Does anybody else want to chime in on the subject?

  • Since LDS is presumably a non profit they will not be paying taxes to support local schools, roads, hospitals or etc. This will likely cause negative consequences for the people living in the region. Of course locals may need to join the church to receive the same services?? Our founders established our constitution to maintain a separation of church and state. Let’s not stray from this ideal.

    • Ksdavis, 4 minutes of internet searching are not worth your time to keep you from losing your honor, truth, and virtue? I won’t suppose anything about your motives, you deserve a little grace, a little… If you are interested:
      Your insinuation that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints does not pay taxes is wrong. There is no religious exemption for paying property taxes on Church investment property. The workers that work the land pay income tax. The company that hires the workers to work the land pays income tax on profits. The company that rents them the land pays tax on that rent in addition to property taxes. Where does all that tax $$ go? You said the Church is not “paying taxes to support local schools, roads, hospitals”. These taxes are paid in the 5 counties the ranch sits on. Sounds like positive consequences for local residents and government.
      “Of course locals may need to join the church to receive the same services??” Wrong again! Goods and services are open to all those who have need, worldwide, member or nonmember. Talk to the bishop of your local ward.
      “Our founders established our constitution to maintain a separation of church and state. Let’s not stray from this ideal.” You already have strayed from this ideal. “Seperation of church and state” is not in the US constitution. It comes from a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptist Association assuring them they would be free of government persecution. (Governor Lilburn Boggs strayed from the “ideal” when he exterminated members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Missouri.) “Jefferson responded, emphasizing that the First Amendment’s free exercise and establishment clauses together built “a wall of separation between church and state.” The constitution prevents congress from establishing a religion. But, religion should be encouraged to permeate and inundate public life, and discourse, inspiring mens hearts to live worthy of our Republic. Seperating and removing religion and the things of God from citizens of our representative republic is not an ideal, it is a perversion in todays society.

  • DaeDae

    Family, it does not matter who buys want, because in the end it will belong to Him who will reign and does reign.

    The The Father and Creator of all Man-kind, and everything there in.

    God the Father and Jesus Christ.

  • Are real taxes paid by the Mormon Church? Do they get any tax breaks since they are a church?

    • Business operations pay business taxes. I am sure they utilize the same tax breaks that all farmers enjoy, but they do not get more by being a Church on business operations.

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