Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

REAL ESTATE AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS

v3.22.1
REAL ESTATE AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022
Real Estate [Abstract]  
REAL ESTATE AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS REAL ESTATE AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS
All of our properties are wholly-owned on a fee-simple basis, except where noted. The following table provides certain summary information about the 164 farms we owned as of March 31, 2022 (dollars in thousands, except for footnotes):
Location No. of Farms Total
Acres
Farm Acres
Net Cost Basis(1)
Encumbrances(2)
California(3)(4)(5)
62 33,027 30,740 $ 851,114  $ 416,252 
Florida 26 22,591 17,639 223,308  122,261 
Arizona(6)
6 6,280 5,228 54,943  16,198 
Colorado 12 32,773 25,577 47,094  29,063 
Washington 3 1,384 1,001 37,055  24,868 
Nebraska 9 7,782 7,050 30,833  12,173 
Michigan 23 1,892 1,245 24,440  14,396 
Oregon(7)
5 726 606 20,734  12,044 
Texas 1 3,667 2,219 8,231  5,000 
Maryland 6 987 863 7,943  4,526 
South Carolina 3 597 447 3,700  2,215 
Georgia 2 230 175 2,843  1,710 
North Carolina 2 310 295 2,193  1,172 
New Jersey 3 116 101 2,167  1,290 
Delaware 1 180 140 1,272  726 
164 112,542 93,326 $ 1,317,870  $ 663,894 
(1)Consists of the initial acquisition price (including the costs allocated to both tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed), plus subsequent improvements and other capitalized costs associated with the properties, and adjusted for accumulated depreciation and amortization. Specifically, includes Total real estate, net (excluding improvements paid for by the tenant) and Lease intangibles, net; plus long-term water assets, net above-market lease values, lease incentives, and investments in special-purpose LLCs included in Other assets, net; and less net below-market lease values and other deferred revenue included in Other liabilities, net; each as shown on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
(2)Excludes approximately $3.8 million of debt issuance costs related to notes and bonds payable, included in Notes and bonds payable, net on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
(3)Includes ownership in a special-purpose LLC that owns a pipeline conveying water to certain of our properties. As of March 31, 2022, this investment had a net carrying value of approximately $1.1 million and is included within Other assets, net on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
(4)Includes five acres in which we own a leasehold interest via a ground sublease with a California municipality that expires in December 2041. The ground sublease had a net cost basis of approximately $753,000 as of March 31, 2022 (included in Lease intangibles, net on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets).
(5)Includes 45,000 acre-feet of water stored with Semitropic Water Storage District, located in Kern County, California. See “—Investments in Water Assets” below for additional information on this water.
(6)Includes two farms in which we own a leasehold interest via ground leases with the State of Arizona that expire in February 2025 and February 2032, respectively. In total, these two ground leases consist of 1,368 total acres and 1,221 farm acres and had an aggregate net cost basis of approximately $961,000 as of March 31, 2022 (included in Lease intangibles, net on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets).
(7)Includes ownership in a special-purpose LLC that owns certain irrigation infrastructure that provides water to one of our farms. As of March 31, 2022, this investment had a net carrying value of approximately $2.0 million and is included within Other assets, net on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Real Estate
The following table sets forth the components of our investments in tangible real estate assets as of March 31, 2022, and December 31, 2021 (dollars in thousands):
March 31, 2022 December 31, 2021
Real estate:
Land and land improvements $ 813,421  $ 812,830 
Permanent plantings 331,775  331,969 
Irrigation and drainage systems 156,915  153,688 
Farm-related facilities 46,967  46,804 
Other site improvements 12,679  12,509 
Real estate, at cost 1,361,757  1,357,800 
Accumulated depreciation (81,731) (74,002)
Total real estate, net $ 1,280,026  $ 1,283,798 
Real estate depreciation expense on these tangible assets was approximately $8.1 million and $5.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022, and 2021, respectively.
Included in the figures above are amounts related to improvements made on certain of our properties paid for by our tenants but owned by us, or tenant improvements. As of March 31, 2022, and December 31, 2021, we recorded tenant improvements, net of accumulated depreciation, of approximately $2.4 million and $2.5 million, respectively. We recorded both depreciation expense and additional lease revenue related to these tenant improvements of approximately $103,000 and $98,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Intangible Assets and Liabilities
The following table summarizes the carrying values of certain lease intangible assets and the related accumulated amortization as of March 31, 2022, and December 31, 2021 (dollars in thousands):
March 31, 2022 December 31, 2021
Lease intangibles:
Leasehold interest – land $ 4,295  $ 4,295 
In-place lease values 2,174  2,174 
Leasing costs 1,808  1,808 
Other(1)
130  130 
Lease intangibles, at cost 8,407  8,407 
Accumulated amortization (4,217) (3,951)
Lease intangibles, net $ 4,190  $ 4,456 
(1)Other consists primarily of acquisition-related costs allocated to miscellaneous lease intangibles.
Total amortization expense related to these lease intangible assets was approximately $266,000 and $383,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
The following table summarizes the carrying values of certain lease intangible assets or liabilities included in Other assets, net or Other liabilities, net, respectively, on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and the related accumulated amortization or accretion, respectively, as of March 31, 2022, and December 31, 2021 (dollars in thousands):
  March 31, 2022 December 31, 2021
Intangible Asset or Liability Deferred
Rent Asset
(Liability)
Accumulated
(Amortization)
Accretion
Deferred
Rent Asset
(Liability)
Accumulated
(Amortization)
Accretion
Above-market lease values and lease incentives(1)
$ 625  $ (94) $ 65  $ (12)
Below-market lease values and other deferred revenue(2)
(2,010) 385  (2,010) 340 
$ (1,385) $ 291  $ (1,945) $ 328 
(1)Net above-market lease values and lease incentives are included as part of Other assets, net on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, and the related amortization is recorded as a reduction of Lease revenue on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income.
(2)Net below-market lease values and other deferred revenue are included as a part of Other liabilities, net on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, and the related accretion is recorded as an increase to Lease revenue on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income.
Total amortization related to above-market lease values and lease incentives was approximately $82,000 and $(44,000) for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Total accretion related to below-market lease values and other deferred revenue was approximately $45,000 and $36,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Acquisitions
2022 Acquisitions
We did not acquire any new farms during the three months ended March 31, 2022.
2021 Acquisitions
During the three months ended March 31, 2021, we acquired two new farms, which are summarized in the table below (dollars in thousands, except for footnotes):
Property
Name
Property
Location
Acquisition
Date
Total
Acres
No. of
Farms
Primary
Crop(s) / Use
Lease
Term
Renewal
Options
Total
Purchase
Price
Acquisition
Costs
(1)
Annualized
Straight-line
Rent
(2)
Palmer Mill Road Dorchester, MD 3/3/2021 228 2 Sod 10.0 years
2 (5 years)
$ 1,600  $ 56  $ 89 
Eight Mile Road – Port Facility San Joaquin, CA 3/11/2021 5 Cooling facility and storage 9.8 years
3 (5 years)
3,977  50  189 
233 2 $ 5,577  $ 106  $ 278 
(1)Includes approximately $4,000 of external legal fees associated with negotiating and originating the leases associated with these acquisitions, which were expensed in the period incurred.
(2)Based on the minimum cash rental payments guaranteed under the respective leases, as required under GAAP, and excludes contingent rental payments, such as participation rents.
During the three months ended March 31, 2021, in the aggregate, we recognized operating revenues of approximately $25,000 and a net loss of approximately $4,000 related to the above acquisitions.
Purchase Price Allocations
The allocation of the aggregate purchase price for the farms acquired during the three months ended March 31, 2021, is as follows (dollars in thousands):
Assets (Liabilities) Acquired 2021 Acquisitions
Land and land improvements $ 1,341 
Irrigation & drainage systems 209 
Farm-related facilities 4,218 
Other site improvements 88 
Leasehold interest—land 787 
In-place lease values 110 
Leasing costs 145 
Below-market lease values(1)
(1,321)
Total Purchase Price $ 5,577 
(1)Included within Other liabilities, net on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Investments in Unconsolidated Entities
In connection with the acquisition of certain farmland located in Fresno County, California, we also acquired an ownership in a related limited liability company (the “Fresno LLC”), the sole purpose of which is to own and maintain a pipeline conveying water to our and other neighboring properties. In addition, in connection with the acquisition of certain farmland located in Umatilla County, Oregon, we also acquired an ownership in a related limited liability company (the “Umatilla LLC”), the sole purpose of which is to own and maintain an irrigation system providing water to our and other neighboring properties.
As of March 31, 2022, our aggregate ownership interest in the Fresno LLC and the Umatilla LLC was 50.0% and 9.1%, respectively. As our investments in the Fresno LLC and Umatilla LLC are both deemed to constitute “significant influence,” we have accounted for these investments under the equity method.
During the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, we recorded an aggregate loss of approximately $29,000 and $13,000, respectively (included in Loss from investments in unconsolidated entities on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income), which represents our pro-rata share of the aggregate loss recognized by the Fresno LLC and Umatilla LLC. Our combined ownership interest in the Fresno LLC and Umatilla LLC, which had an aggregate carrying value of approximately $3.1 million as of both March 31, 2022, and December 31, 2021, is included within Other assets, net on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Investments in Water Assets
In connection with the acquisition of certain farmland located in Kern County, California, we also acquired three contracts to purchase an aggregate of 45,000 acre-feet of banked water held by Semitropic Water Storage District (“SWSD”), a water storage district located in Kern County, California, at a fixed price. The contracts to purchase the banked water could not readily be net settled by means outside of the contracts, and all rights and obligations associated with the purchase contracts were transferred to us at acquisition of the related farmland. We were not required to purchase a specific amount, or any, of the 45,000 acre-feet of water.
During the year ended December 31, 2021, we executed all three contracts to purchase all 45,000 acre-feet of banked water for an aggregate additional cost of approximately $2.8 million. The purchased banked water was recognized at cost, including any administrative fees necessary to transfer the water to our banked water account. While we may, in the future, sell the banked water to an unrelated third party for a profit, our current intent is to hold the water for the long-term for future use on our farms. There is no amount of time by which we must use the water held by SWSD.
As of March 31, 2022, the investment in banked water had a carrying value of approximately $34.0 million, which includes the subsequent cost to execute the contracts, and is included within Other assets, net on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Each quarter, we will review the investment in banked water for any indicators of impairment and perform an impairment analysis if there are any such indicators. As of March 31, 2022, we concluded that there were no such indicators and that the water was not impaired.
Portfolio Concentrations
Credit Risk
As of March 31, 2022, our farms were leased to various different, unrelated third-party tenants, with certain tenants leasing more than one farm. No individual tenant represented greater than 10.0% of the total lease revenue recorded during the three months ended March 31, 2022.
Geographic Risk
Farms located in California and Florida accounted for approximately $13.2 million (66.4%) and $3.6 million (18.0%), respectively, of the total lease revenue recorded during the three months ended March 31, 2022. Though we seek to continue to further diversify geographically, as may be desirable or feasible, should an unexpected natural disaster (such as an earthquake, wildfire, or flood) occur or climate change impact the regions where our properties are located, there could be a material adverse effect on our financial performance and ability to continue operations. None of our farms in California or Florida have been materially impacted by the recent wildfires or hurricanes that occurred in those respective regions. In addition, with respect to the ongoing drought taking place in the western U.S., all of our farms in the region have independent (and, in most cases, multiple) sources of water, in addition to rainfall, and have not been materially impacted by the current drought conditions. No other single state accounted for more than 10.0% of our total lease revenue recorded during the three months ended March 31, 2022.
Impairment
We evaluate our entire portfolio each quarter for any impairment indicators and perform an impairment analysis on those select properties that have an indication of impairment. As of March 31, 2022, and December 31, 2021, we concluded that none of our properties were impaired. There have been no impairments recognized on our real estate assets since our inception.