Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Interim Financial Information
Interim Financial Information
Our interim financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and pursuant to the requirements for reporting on Form 10-Q in accordance with Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, certain disclosures accompanying annual financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP are omitted. In the opinion of our management, all adjustments, consisting solely of normal recurring accruals, necessary for the fair statement of financial statements for the interim period have been included. The interim financial statements and accompanying notes should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 21, 2017 (the “Form 10-K”). The results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for other interim periods or for the full fiscal year.
Use of Estimates
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates.
Reclassifications
Reclassifications
Certain line items on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations and Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, have been reclassified to conform to the current period’s presentation. These reclassifications had no impact on previously-reported stockholders’ equity, net income or net change in cash and cash equivalents.
Non-controlling Interests
Non-controlling Interests
Non-controlling interests are interests in the Operating Partnership not owned by us. We evaluate whether non-controlling interests are subject to redemption features outside of our control. As of both June 30, 2017, and December 31, 2016, the non-controlling interests in the Operating Partnership are redeemable at the option of the holder for cash or, at our election, shares of our common stock and thus are reported in the equity section of the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet but separate from stockholders’ equity. The amounts reported for non-controlling interests on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations represent the portion of income from the Operating Partnership not attributable to us. At the end of each reporting period, we determine the amount of equity (at book value) that is allocable to non-controlling interests based upon the respective ownership interests. To reflect the non-controlling interests' equity interest in the Company, an adjustment is made to non-controlling interests, with a corresponding adjustment to paid-in capital, as reflected on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Equity.
Critical Accounting Policies
Critical Accounting Policies
The preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make judgments that are subjective in nature in order to make certain estimates and assumptions, and our application of these accounting policies involves the exercise of judgment regarding the use of assumptions as to future uncertainties. A summary of our significant accounting policies is provided in Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements included in our Form 10-K. There were no material changes to our significant accounting policies during the six months ended June 30, 2017.
Recently-Issued Accounting Pronouncements
Recently-Issued Accounting Pronouncements
In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)" ("ASU 2014-09"), which was amended in March 2016 by ASU 2016-08, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net)" ("ASU 2016-08"), in April 2016 by ASU 2016-10, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing" ("ASU 2016-10"), in May 2016 by ASU 2016-12, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients" ("ASU 2016-12"), and in December 2016 by ASU 2016-20, "Technical Corrections and Improvements to Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers" ("ASU 2016-20"). ASU 2014-09, as amended, supersedes or replaces nearly all GAAP revenue recognition guidance and establishes a new, control-based revenue recognition model, changes the basis for deciding when revenue is recognized over time or at a point in time and will expand disclosures about revenue. In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date," which deferred the effective date of ASU 2014-09, as amended. ASU 2014-09, as amended, is now effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those years, with early adoption permitted for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those years. We do not believe ASU 2014-09 will have a material impact on our results of operations or financial condition, as the primary impact of this update is related to common area maintenance and other material tenant reimbursements, whereas the majority of our revenue is from rental income pursuant to net-lease agreements, with very little being attributed to tenant recoveries.
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842): An Amendment of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification” (“ASU 2016-02”). The new standard requires lessees to apply a dual approach, classifying leases as either finance or operating leases based on the principle of whether or not the leases is effectively a financed purchase by the lessee, which classification determines whether lease expense is recognized based on an effective interest method or on a straight-line basis, respectively, over the term of the lease. A lessee is also required to record a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term of greater than 12 months, regardless of the classification. Leases with a term of 12 months or less will be accounted for similar to existing guidance for operating leases. The new standard requires lessors to account for leases using an approach that is substantially equivalent to existing guidance for sales-type leases, direct financing leases and operating leases. ASU 2016-02 supersedes the previous leasing standard, ASC 840, “Leases,” and is effective on January 1, 2019, with early adoption permitted. We expect our legal expenses (included in General and administrative expenses on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations) to increase marginally, as the new standard requires us to expense indirect leasing costs that were previously capitalized; however, we do not expect ASU 2016-02 to materially impact our condensed consolidated financial statements, as we currently only have two operating ground lease arrangements with terms greater than one year for which we are the lessee.
In January 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the "FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2017-01, "Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business" ("ASU 2017-01"), which clarifies the definition of a business with the objective of adding guidance to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. The definition of a business affects many areas of accounting, including acquisitions and disposals. ASU 2017-01 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. We have early adopted ASU 2017-01, effective October 1, 2016. As a result of our adoption of ASU 2017-01, we anticipate that most of our farmland acquisitions will be treated as asset acquisitions under Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 360, which will result in a lower amount of acquisition-related costs being expensed on our condensed consolidated statements of operations, as the majority of those costs will be capitalized and included as part of the fair value allocation of the purchase price.