Farmland board rules against investment group
by Sean Pratt
Saskatchewan’s Farm Land Security Board has issued its second decision on a case that could transform the way land is bought and sold in the province.
The decision reaffirms an earlier ruling that ordered Skyline Agriculture Financial Corp. to reduce its land holdings to the allowable 10 acre limit for foreign investors.
Skyline is attempting to use a complicated ownership structure involving mortgage agreements, swap agreements and derivative agreements to avoid being viewed as owner of the farmland.
The British Columbia company headed by Mark Reineking believes it can use the unique business structure to raise funds from outside Canada to buy Saskatchewan farmland because it wouldn’t actually own the land.