Peoples Co., a leading provider of land brokerage, management, investment and appraisal services in 21 states, announced that it is acquiring a share of Value Midwest, a Marlette, Mich.-based appraisal firm. In coming to an agreement, Peoples increases its team of expert appraisers with deep agricultural experience, while Value Midwest harnesses Peoples Co.’s existing brokerage, land management and investment services, the company said in a statement.

“Mark Williams and the Value Midwest team have built a reputation of being industry leading appraisers, particularly on agricultural properties, but also on unique tracts across the Midwest and beyond,” Peoples president Steve Bruere said. “With experience in 30 states, joining forces with Value Midwest makes sense for our company and our clients. Peoples Co.’s footprint will expand, our appraisal expertise will grow, but our personalized service will remain.”

Value Midwest will continue to operate based in Marlette, while Peoples will continue to be headquartered out of Clive, Iowa. Since 1992, Value Midwest has provided quality valuation services coast to coast for a variety of agricultural properties, including dairy and hog farms, irrigated and dry cropland, seed corn farms, permanent plantings (grapes, apples, cherries, etc.) and certified organic cropland. In addition, Value Midwest is an industry expert in the valuation of conservation easements and pipeline easements and has completed statewide agricultural studies in more than 30 states.

“We appreciate the opportunity to partner with Peoples Co. They are an industry leader in land brokerage, management, appraisal and investment services. In our business, we often find that combining two land sites into one offering makes the larger tract far more valuable than the two sites’ original combined value. I can’t help but see the similarities in this business agreement where both Peoples Co. and Value Midwest, in sharing expertise and service, will have a greater reach and be able to better serve our clients,” Value Midwest president Mark Williams said.

He added, “Peoples Co. and Value Midwest have an industry reputation of being ‘problem solvers’ in the customer service business. We want to share those resources with the ag community, coast to coast. Simply put, with this agreement in place, both Peoples Co. and Value Midwest have expanded the depth and breadth of our industry expertise.”