Hi there.
This is my message for November 2022.
First of all, a big thank you to customers who have ordered plots lately. All orders have been processed.
In this press release, I would like to address an important issue and recall the values of Plantfarm.
Plantfarm is owned by Nokena SARL, the startup of purchasing power. Since February 2021, through Plantfarm, we have been offering crowdgrowing in Europe (investment in plant producers). But we also want this activity to be ethical because we are talking about farmers and not financial markets.
In July-August 2022, producers renegotiated contracts and agreements with us to make it easier for them to manage. This resulted in the annual calculations.
We are happy to have been able to improve the system with them and to have allowed them to reduce the workload linked to their relationship with Plantfarm. But today we are faced with a new problem.
And my role as CEO is precisely to solve problems and sometimes set the record straight.
Crowdgrowing is not a short-term or speculative investment. Above all, it means helping producers so that they can develop. By doing crowdgrowing, you accept the risks associated with agriculture (bad economic times, bad harvest, pests, climatic problems, …) with the aim of gradually creating an online farm by acquiring more plots.
I repeat : Plantfarm wants to create an ethical crowdgrowing in Europe that respects producers.
However, for some time now, we have noticed that some people have behaviors close to speculation and non-morality (“I don’t care about the producers or their situation, me first, even if I put producers in difficulty !”).
As CEO of Plantfarm, I am against this because it goes against our desire to create an ethical system and to have behavior that can put producers in difficulty is unacceptable.
If these people want to speculate without morality, they are in the wrong place.
A producer spends on average between 300,000 and 400,000 euros to build his farm and it takes him several years to become profitable, even with the advice of Plantfarm.
By making “coups” and short-term financial operations, these people endanger everyone : the producer, Plantfarm, but also the other investors. Their actions do not allow a sustainable system while it is one of our values.
Consequently, it is planned to add an article in the Terms of Service in order to penalize short-term or speculative operations and benefit customers who have understood that Plantfarm crowdgrowing is there to help producers to develop (knowing that this not easy for producers at the moment).
A penalty of 50% the first year, 25% the second year and 10% the third year will be applied in the event of resale of the plot because the producers need at least 3 years to organize themselves correctly and make their plots profitable at a minimum. On the one hand, it is an urgent request from the producers so that they no longer find themselves in difficulty because of certain unscrupulous or unmoral investors, and on the other hand, it is a way for Plantfarm to reaffirm its will and its communication that the crowdgrowing we practice is ethical and above all sustainable for all.
Although this aspect is partly defined by article 3.6 of our Terms of Service, it seems necessary to me, and in particular as long as Plantfarm is in Beta phase, to add an article to specify this.
In accordance with article 3.8 and the French legislation in force, and after having discussed it with the legal department, this measure will be put in place as soon as possible (respecting the 7 calendar days) via the addition of article 3.13
For an ethical and sustainable crowdgrowing !
This press release is an opportunity for me to renew my wish to make Plantfarm (Nokena), the most serious crowdgrowing company in Europe. The sustainable development of producers will remain my priority.
If you have any questions, feel free to email or call us.
Regards.
Guillaume, CEO of Plantfarm
