Yes, It's True – Bill Gates' 275,000 Acres Of Farmland Grows The Potatoes For McDonald's French Fries

Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder known for his tech innovations and philanthropic efforts, has become an important player in a surprisingly traditional sector: Fast food.

According to an investigative report issued by NBC News, among the nearly 300,000 acres of farmland owned by the billionaire is a 14,500-acre plot in Washington state that is so vast it can be seen from space. This plot is dedicated to growing potatoes, some used to make McDonald's French fries.

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Acquired beginning in 2012 through at least 22 limited liability shell companies linked to his investment group, Cascade Investments, Gates has been buying farmland in 18 states. So much farmland that, if grouped together, it would cover about 25% of Rhode Island.

"My investment group chose to do this," Gates said in response to a Reddit user who asked him why he was buying so much U.S. farmland during an ‘Ask Me Anything' session in 2021. "The agriculture sector is important."

The connection between Gates and the fast-food giant doesn’t end there. Benzinga reported that Gates is also one of the few individuals worldwide to possess a McDonald’s “Gold Card,” which grants him free meals at any of the chain’s locations globally. 

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However, Gates' farmland is much more than just a supplier for the largest restaurant chain in the world. According to the report, it is used to grow soybeans, corn, cotton, carrots, rice, and onions – the same onions used in American kitchens.

More pointedly, Gates, through Cascade Investments, owns farms across various states:

• North Louisiana: 70,000 acres where farmers grow soybeans, rice, corn, and cotton.
• Nebraska: 20,000 acres primarily dedicated to soybean cultivation.
  Washington: Over 14,000 acres, including the massive potato fields used by McDonald's.
• Florida: Farms where carrots are grown on Gates’ property.
  Georgia: Initially over 6,000 acres, where farms specialized in Vidalia onions and carrots.
  
  

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His farmland empire also includes land previously owned by other billionaires, including former WorldCom CEO Bernard Ebbers in Louisiana.

Despite the scale of Gates’ farmland, farmer advocates are concerned about the impact of such large-scale acquisitions on smaller, independent farmers. With nearly 40% of U.S. farmland owned by individuals aged 65 or older, NBC News noted that deep-pocketed investors like Gates could outbid the next generation of farmers when more land becomes available.

“There’s significant competition from non-farmers, and that really affects young farmers because it means that the price they’re trying to compete with on the marketplace is driven and determined by people who are not dependent on a farming income,” said Holly Rippon-Butler, former land campaigns director at the National Young Farmers Coalition.

Johnathan Hladik, former policy director at the Center for Rural Affairs, noted, "Farmers just aren’t owning the assets anymore. Someone else is building that equity on their back."

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