Organization and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Organization and Significant Accounting Policies

Farmland Partners Inc., collectively with its subsidiaries (the “Company”), is an internally managed real estate company that owns and seeks to acquire high-quality farmland located in agricultural markets throughout North America. The Company was incorporated in Maryland on September 27, 2013. The Company is the sole member of the general partner of Farmland Partners Operating Partnership, LP (the “Operating Partnership”), which was formed in Delaware on September 27, 2013. As of March 31, 2020, the Company owned a portfolio of approximately 158,500 acres which are consolidated in these financial statements. All of the Company’s assets are held by, and its operations are primarily conducted through, the Operating Partnership and the wholly owned subsidiaries of the Operating Partnership. As of March 31, 2020, the Company owned a 94.0% interest in the Operating Partnership (see “Note 9—Stockholders’ Equity and Non-controlling Interests” for additional discussion regarding Class A Common units of limited partnership interest in the Operating Partnership (“Common units”), Series A preferred units of limited partnership interest in the Operating Partnership (“Series A preferred units”) and Series B participating preferred units of limited partnership interest in the Operating Partnership (“Series B participating preferred units”)). Unlike holders of the Company’s common stock, holders of Common units and Series A preferred units generally do not have voting rights or the power to direct our affairs. On August 17, 2017, the Company issued 6,037,500 shares of its newly designated 6.00% Series B Participating Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Series B Participating Preferred Stock”) in an underwritten public offering. Shares of Series B Participating Preferred Stock, which represent equity interests in the Company, generally have no voting rights and rank senior to the Company’s common stock with respect to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation (See “Note 9—Stockholders’ Equity—Series B Participating Preferred Stock” for more information on the Series B Participating Preferred Stock).

The Company elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) under Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), commencing with its short taxable year ended December 31, 2014.

On March 16, 2015, the Company formed FPI Agribusiness Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary (the “TRS” or “FPI Agribusiness”), as a taxable REIT subsidiary. The TRS was formed to provide volume purchasing services to the Company’s tenants and also to operate a small-scale custom farming business. As of March 31, 2020, the TRS performed these custom farming operations on 3,676 acres of farmland owned by the Company located in California, Michigan, South Carolina, and Florida.

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements for the periods ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 are presented on the accrual basis of accounting in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and include the accounts of the Company and the Operating Partnership. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain amounts have been reclassified in the prior year financial statements to conform to the current year presentation. Such reclassification had no effect on net income or loss.

Interim Financial Information

The information in the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 is unaudited. The accompanying financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 include adjustments based on management’s estimates (consisting of normal and recurring accruals), which the Company considers necessary for a fair statement of the results for the periods. The financial information should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019, included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, which the Company filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 13, 2020. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of actual operating results for the entire year ending December 31, 2020.

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC for interim financial statements. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations.

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 at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates, particularly in light of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic and its effects on the domestic and global economies. So far, the direct impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and operations has been limited. As broader sectors of the U.S. agricultural economy are affected through supply chain and commodity price disruptions, we believe that we may experience some yet largely unidentified impact in the medium term. In the long term, we do not expect that the pandemic will affect materially the global demand for food, feed, fuel and fiber, and therefore the value of its farmland portfolio. We are unable to quantify what the ultimate impact of the virus on our business will be.

Real Estate Acquisitions

When the Company acquires farmland where substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets it is not considered a business. As such, the Company accounts for these types of acquisitions as asset acquisitions. When substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired is not concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar assets and contains acquired inputs and processes which have the ability to contribute to the creation of outputs, these acquisitions are accounted for as business combinations.

The Company considers single identifiable assets as tangible assets that are attached to and cannot be physically removed and used separately from another tangible asset without incurring significant cost or significant diminution in utility or fair value. The Company considers similar assets as assets that have a similar nature and risk characteristics.

Whether the Company’s acquisitions are treated as an asset acquisition under ASC 360 or a business combination under ASC 805, the fair value of the purchase price is allocated among the assets acquired and any liabilities assumed by valuing the property as if it was vacant. The “as-if-vacant” value is allocated to land, buildings, improvements, permanent plantings and any liabilities, based on management’s determination of the relative fair values of such assets and liabilities as of the date of acquisition.

Upon acquisition of real estate, the Company allocates the purchase price of the real estate based upon the fair value of the assets and liabilities acquired, which historically have consisted of land, drainage improvements, irrigation improvements, groundwater, permanent plantings (bushes, shrubs, vines and perennial crops) and grain facilities, and may also consist of intangible assets including in-place leases, above market and below market leases and tenant relationships. The Company allocates the purchase price to the fair value of the tangible assets by valuing the land as if it were unimproved. The Company values improvements, including permanent plantings and grain facilities, at replacement cost, adjusted for depreciation.

Management’s estimates of land value are made using a comparable sales analysis. Factors considered by management in its analysis of land value include soil types and water availability and the sales prices of comparable farms. Management’s estimates of groundwater value are made using historical information obtained regarding the applicable aquifer. Factors considered by management in its analysis of groundwater value are related to the location of the aquifer and whether or not the aquifer is a depletable resource or a replenishing resource. If the aquifer is a replenishing resource, no value is allocated to the groundwater. The Company includes an estimate of property taxes in the purchase price allocation of acquisitions to account for the expected liability that was assumed.

When above or below market leases are acquired, the Company values the intangible assets based on the present value of the difference between prevailing market rates and the in-place rates measured over a period equal to the remaining term of the lease for above market leases and the initial term plus the term of any below market fixed rate renewal options for below market leases that are considered bargain renewal options. The above market lease values are amortized as a reduction of rental income over the remaining term of the respective leases. The fair value of acquired below market leases, included in deferred revenue on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets, is amortized as an increase to rental income on a straight-line basis over the remaining non-cancelable terms of the respective leases, plus the terms of any below market fixed rate renewal options that are considered bargain renewal options of the respective leases.

As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company had $1.3 million and $1.3 million in tenant relationship intangibles, respectively, gross of accumulated amortization of $1.3 million and $1.2 million, respectively. The purchase price is allocated to in-place lease values and tenant relationships, if they are acquired, based on the Company’s evaluation of the specific characteristics of each tenant’s lease, availability of replacement tenants, probability of lease renewal, estimated down time and its overall relationship with the tenant. The value of in-place lease intangibles and tenant relationships are included as an intangible asset and will be amortized over the remaining lease term (including expected renewal periods of the respective leases for tenant relationships) as amortization expense. If a tenant terminates its lease prior to its stated expiration, any unamortized amounts relating to that lease, including (i) above and below market leases, (ii) in-place lease values, and (iii) tenant relationships, would be recorded to revenue or expense as appropriate.

The Company capitalizes acquisition costs and due diligence costs if the asset is expected to qualify as an asset acquisition. If the asset acquisition is abandoned, the capitalized asset acquisition costs are expensed to acquisition and due diligence costs in the period of abandonment. Costs associated with a business combination are expensed to acquisition and due diligence costs as incurred. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the company incurred an immaterial amount of costs related to acquisition and due diligence during the periods.

Total consideration for acquisitions may include a combination of cash and equity securities. When equity securities are issued, the Company determines the fair value of the equity securities issued based on the number of shares of common stock and Common units issued multiplied by the price per share of the Company’s common stock on the date of closing in the case of common stock and Common units and by liquidation preference in the case of preferred stock and preferred units.

Using information available at the time of business combination, the Company allocates the total consideration to tangible assets and liabilities and identified intangible assets and liabilities. During the measurement period, which may be up to one year from the acquisition date, the Company may adjust the preliminary purchase price allocations after obtaining more information about assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the date of acquisition.

Real Estate Sales

The Company recognizes gains from the sales of real estate assets, generally at the time the title is transferred, consideration is received and the Company no longer has substantial continuing involvement with the real estate sold.

Liquidity Policy

The Company manages its liquidity position and expected liquidity needs taking into consideration current cash balances and reasonably expected cash receipts. The business model of the Company, and of real estate investment companies in general, relies on debt as a structural source of financing. When debt becomes due, it is generally refinanced rather than repaid using the Company’s cash flow from operations. As of March 31, 2020 the Company had liquidity requirements which were not anticipated to be funded from ongoing operating cash flows in the foreseeable future which were largely impacted by debt repayments which are coming due in 2020. When material debt repayments are due within the following 12 months, the Company works with current and new lenders and other potential sources of capital to ensure that all its obligations are timely satisfied. The Company has a history of being able to refinance its debt obligations to manage its debt maturities. Furthermore, the Company also has a deep portfolio of real estate assets which management believes could be readily liquidated if necessary to fund its immediate liquidity needs. Managements first course of action is to work with its lenders to refinance debt which is coming due on terms acceptable to the Company. In the event the Company is unsuccessful in refinancing its debt on terms acceptable to the Company, management would look to liquidate certain assets to fund its liquidity shortfall. Management believes its plans are sufficient to overcome the liquidity pressures which existed at March 31, 2020.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

The Company records an allowance for doubtful accounts, reducing the receivables balance to an amount that it estimates is collectible from our customers. Estimates used in determining the allowance for doubtful accounts are based on historical collection experience, current trends, aging of accounts receivable and periodic credit evaluations of the Company’s customers’ financial condition. The Company writes off accounts receivable when it becomes apparent, based upon age or customer circumstances, that such amounts will not be collected. The Company considered its current expectations of future economic conditions, including the impact of COVID-19, when estimating its allowance for doubtful accounts. As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company had an allowance of $0.1 million and $0.1 million, respectively.

Inventory

The costs of growing crops are accumulated until the time of harvest at the lower of cost or net realizable value and are included in inventory in the consolidated balance sheets. Costs are allocated to growing crops based on a percentage of the total costs of production and total operating costs that are attributable to the portion of the crops that remain in inventory at the end of the period. The costs of growing crops incurred by FPI Agribusiness consist primarily of costs related to land preparation, cultivation, irrigation and fertilization. Growing crop inventory is charged to cost of products sold when the related crop is harvested and sold and is included in other operating expenses. The cost of harvested crop was $0.6 million and $0.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Harvested crop inventory includes costs accumulated both during the growing and harvesting phases and are stated at the lower of those costs or the estimated net realizable value, which is the market price, based upon the nearest market in the geographic region, less any cost of disposition. Cost of disposition includes broker’s commissions, freight and other marketing costs.

General inventory, such as fertilizer, seeds and pesticides, is valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value.

As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, inventory consisted of the following:


(in thousands)	March 31, 2020		December 31, 2019
Harvested crop	$	104	$	171
Growing crop		1,515		1,379
General inventory		—		—
	$	1,619	$	1,550

Hedge Accounting


(in thousands)	March 31, 2020		December 31, 2019
Harvested crop	$	104	$	171
Growing crop		1,515		1,379
General inventory		—		—
	$	1,619	$	1,550

Hedge Accounting

ASC 815 requires the Company to recognize all of its derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet at fair value. The accounting for changes in the fair value (i.e., gains or losses) of a derivative instrument depends on whether it has been designated and qualifies as part of a hedging relationship and, further, on the type of hedging relationship. For those derivative instruments that are designated and qualify as hedging instruments, the company must designate the hedging instrument, based upon the exposure being hedged, as a fair value hedge, cash flow hedge or a hedge of a net investment in a foreign operation. For derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments, the gain or loss is recognized in the consolidated statements of operations during the period.

The Company uses derivative instruments to manage certain interest rate risks. More specifically, interest rate swaps are entered into to manage the risk associated with the Company’s floating-rate borrowings when such risk management is deemed appropriate by the Company’s management and a fixed interest rate is not available or not economical, or when it is contractually required by a lender. In accordance with ASC 815, the Company designates interest rate swaps as cash flow hedges of said floating-rate borrowings.

The Company entered into an interest rate swap effective April 1, 2018 and chose to early adopt ASU No. 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815), Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities, (“ASU 2017-12”) effective on that date. As a result of the adoption of ASU 2017-12, the entire change in the fair value of the Company’s designated cash flow hedges is recorded to accumulated other comprehensive income, a component of shareholders’ equity in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

The Company has entered into an interest rate swap agreement to manage interest rate risk exposure. An interest rate swap agreement utilized by the Company effectively modifies the Company’s exposure to interest rate risk by converting the Company’s floating-rate debt to a fixed rate basis for the next five years on 50% of the currently outstanding amount to Rabobank, thus reducing the impact of interest rate changes on future interest expense. This agreement involves the receipt of floating rate amounts in exchange for fixed rate interest payments over the life of the agreement without an exchange of the underlying principal amount.

As of March 31, 2020, the total notional amount of the Company’s receive-variable/pay-fixed interest rate swap was $33.2 million. For a summary of the fair value and related disclosures in relation to hedge accounting, please refer to “Note 10 – Hedge Accounting.”

New or Revised Accounting Standards

Recent Pronouncements

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848), that provided practical expedients to address existing guidance on contract modifications and hedge accounting due to the expected market transition from the London Inter-bank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) and other interbank offered rates (together “IBORs”) to alternative reference rates, such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate. In July 2017, the Financial Conduct Authority announced it intended to stop compelling banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR after 2021. We refer to this transition as “reference rate reform.”

The first practical expedient allows companies to elect to not apply certain modification accounting requirements to debt, derivative and lease contracts affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. These criteria include the following: (i) the contract referenced an IBOR rate that is expected to be discontinued; (ii) the modified terms directly replace or have the potential to replace the IBOR rate that is expected to be discontinued; and (iii) any contemporaneous changes to other terms that change or have the potential to change the amount and timing of contractual cash flows must be related to the replacement of the IBOR rate. If the contract meets all three criteria, there is no requirement for remeasurement of the contract at the modification date or reassessment of the previous accounting determination.

The second practical expedient allows companies to change the reference rate and other critical terms related to the reference rate reform in derivative hedge documentation without having to de-designate the hedging relationship. This allows for companies to continue applying hedge accounting to existing cash flow and net investment hedges.

The ASU was effective upon issuance on a prospective basis beginning January 1, 2020 and may be elected over time as reference rate reform activities occur. During the first quarter of 2020, the Company elected to apply the hedge accounting practical expedient to its cash flow hedge. The Company will continue to evaluate its debt, derivative and lease contracts that are eligible for modification relief and may apply those elections as needed.

Recently adopted

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which changes the method and timing of the recognition of credit losses on financial assets. For trade and other receivables, held-to-maturity debt securities, loans and other instruments, entities are required to use a new forward-looking "expected loss" model that generally will result in the earlier recognition of allowance for losses. This credit loss standard is required to be applied using a modified-retrospective approach and requires a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings be recorded as of the date of adoption. The Company adopted the new standard on January 1, 2020. The adoption of the standard did not have a material impact on its financial position or results of operations.