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Danny Thomas relies on his boyhood memories of the family’s struggle on the dairy farm, with a lifelong love for agriculture, and his instincts for good deals as a foundation for a new, multi-continental partnership.
It is called the International Ag Alliance. “I'm a big fan of Ag, and I like to invest in what I know, Thomas, Senior Director at LAWD in Melbourne, Australia, told American Farmland Owner on a sweltering day when temperatures topped 100 degrees.
The IAA unites three firms with significant agribusiness investment expertise:
LAWD in Melbourne, Australia
Peoples Company in Des Moines, Iowa
Brown & Co. in the United Kingdom
The new partnership describes itself as a “global coalition of premier agricultural land and business firms focused on collaboration, sharing market insights, and connecting investors with opportunities in top agricultural investment regions.”
Thomas believes that in a rapidly evolving global agricultural market, collaboration across borders is becoming increasingly essential. The IAA aims to bridge the gap between geographies, offering seamless investment opportunities for institutional investors seeking access to high-quality agricultural assets.
RELATED: Danny Thomas told Beef Central what he experienced with Australian land sales in 2024. Properties below $40 million were tougher to sell, as were areas that had been drier like Tasmania, western Victoria, and southeast South Australia. Get this Aussie’s take here.
Thomas said the foundation for the eventual alliance came after bonding with Steve Bruere, the president of Peoples Company, when the two met during an agricultural investment conference in New York.
"We realized that our businesses had grown along very similar trajectories," Thomas said. "We have many of the same clients, and we both share a strong commitment to bringing high-quality, sustainable agricultural investments to the market. We knew that combining our strengths would provide immense value to both our clients and our teams."
Their collaboration later expanded to include Brown & Co. in the United Kingdom.
RELATED: Australian exports slowed considerably last month compared to the previous month. Cereal grains, meats, and metal ores saw some of the largest export percentage increases. Non-monetary gold felt one of the biggest tumbles.
Trading Economics breaks down the latest exports report from Australia. Find that here.
For institutional investors, navigating the complexities of international agriculture can often feel overwhelming. With investments spanning across borders—from Australia to the United States, South America, and the UK—the challenge is ensuring consistency, transparency, and expert advice, regardless of location. The International Ag Alliance aims to address this by creating a unified approach to agricultural investment.
"The key to success in this industry is trust. It doesn’t matter if you’re investing in Australia, the U.S., or Europe. Investors want to know they’re dealing with professionals who understand their needs and who can provide an experience that feels familiar and reliable. That’s what we’re aiming to create: a global experience for investors that feels as easy and accessible as buying a Big Mac anywhere in the world."
His Big Mac example was not by accident. Thomas wants the experience of agricultural land investment like buying a burger at a McDonald’s: burgers should taste the same at whatever McDonald’s you visit.
Regardless of which member of the International Ag Alliance you meet, that person should provide a similar experience and result.
But Thomas isn’t focused on the dollar menu. The new alliance could assist higher-dollar investors interested in diversifying their portfolios across various countries or continents.
“There's many, many billions of dollars that still want to be invested in direct Ag from people who are used to doing those deals,” Thomas said, “And probably more importantly, there's a wave of fresh capital coming in.”
Outside capitol would be welcome, Thomas said, as Australia works to increase exports. “In Australia, we produce three times the amount of food and fiber that we can consume," he said.
RELATED: Danny Thomas said that 2024 brought what he described as a “Mexican standoff” between sellers and buyers in Australia. Read his interview in Australia’s AuctionsPlus.
