The person who owns the largest amount of farmland in the United States (in terms of private agricultural land) is Bill Gates (through his investment company Cascade Investment and related entities). He has purchased a very large portfolio of productive farmland across many states — estimated at roughly 240,000 – 270,000 acres — making him the largest private farmland owner in the country. �
Forbes +1
Key points:
Bill Gates is widely reported as the largest private owner of farmland in the U.S., with approximately 242,000+ acres spread over multiple states such as Louisiana, Arkansas, Nebraska, and others. �
Forbes +1
These holdings are generally held via Cascade Investment, a personal investment firm associated with Gates. �
Wikipedia
However, Gates does not own most farmland in the U.S. overall — there are about 900 million acres of farmland nationwide, and his holdings represent a small fraction of that total. �
Forbes
Clarification:
When people talk about the largest landowners in the U.S. overall (all land types), individuals or families like the Emmerson family or John Malone own far more acreage (in the millions of acres), but much of that is timberland and ranchland, not primarily farmland. �
Successful Farming +1
So, Bill Gates currently holds the distinction of being the largest private owner of agricultural (farmland) acreage in the United States. �
Forbes