Thread by @NBCNews

They own the soil where the potatoes in McDonald’s french fries grow, the carrots from the world’s largest producer and the onions that Americans sauté for dinner.

But they’re far better known for their work in tech.

By @aprilaser. #NBCNewsThreads (1/7) nbcnews.to/3zg3Ivi

@aprilaser Bill and Melinda Gates, who recently announced they’re getting divorced and are dividing their assets, are deeply invested in American agriculture, having accumulated more than 269,000 acres of farmland across 18 states — more than the entire acreage of New York City. (2/7)

@aprilaser A survey of the Gateses’ farmland holdings shows that a broad range of the vegetables that Americans eat can be traced back to his land and that some of this land has also been owned by other billionaires. (3/7) nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news…

@aprilaser Though the Gateses are major owners of American farmland, the couple’s holdings only represent a fraction of the 283M acres of farmland that is owned and rented out by nonfarmers.

But that could soon change. (4/7)

@aprilaser About 40% of farmland is owned by seniors 65 or older, according to 2014 estimates by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, meaning more farmland is expected to come on the market soon. (5/7)

@aprilaser That spells an opportunity not only for young farmers hoping to get their start—but for savvy investors scrambling for more places to put their money.

Farmer advocates say the Gateses’ large-scale farm purchases don’t make room for smaller farmers to break into the market. (6/7)

@aprilaser “There’s significant competition from nonfarmers, and that really affects young farmers because it means that the price that they’re trying to compete with on the marketplace is driven and determined by people who are not dependent on a farming income,” one NY farmer says. (7/7)