Sydney-based New Forests, a global manager of nature-based real assets, has acquired approximately half of McPhee Beef Farms through its A$600 million ( US$388 million ) Australia New Zealand Landscapes and Forestry Fund ( Anzlaff ), marking a significant step forward for sustainable investing in agriculture.

Located in New South Wales’ New England region, McPhee Beef Farms, now rebranded as Benditi Pastoral Company, spans roughly 8,400 hectares and includes a premium Wagyu-Angus breeding operation.

The acquisition underscores New Forests’ push towards integrating regenerative agriculture and carbon value creation into traditional farming models.

“This is a quality business which aligns perfectly with our whole of landscape approach, where we can position investors to benefit from the best use of the landscape, while combining additional revenue streams such as carbon and biodiversity,” says David Shelton, managing director for Australia and New Zealand, and global head of investments, at New Forests.

Anzlaff, backed by institutional investors including Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation, Japan’s Kyushu Electric Power, Germany’s BVK, and Sweden’s AP2, has made three previous greenfield acquisitions in New South Wales. This fourth investment extends the fund’s blueprint: enhancing land value while fostering ecological and financial resilience.

The deal, which remains subject to Foreign Investment Review Board approval, further reflects a broader trend in sustainable finance, where nature-based solutions such as regenerative agriculture are gaining traction among institutional investors.

The acquisition will retain existing staff and be jointly managed with expertise from New Agriculture, New Forests’ affiliated agricultural platform. A key focus will be reducing emissions across farm operations and assessing opportunities for renewable energy and carbon project registration.

With New Agriculture now managing A$1.5 billion ( US$972.46 million ) across 3.1 million hectares, the momentum is clearly shifting towards integrating environmental stewardship with traditional asset strategies.