Janie Gatzman, ARA began her appraisal career in 2003 with American AgCredit, the 5th-largest Farm Credit Association in the US. She was employed by AAC as a staff appraiser for 11 years, and a regional appraisal manager for 2 years. In 2016 she became an independent appraiser starting her own fee appraisal business, Gatzman Appraisal. Janie is a 4th-generation almond farmer; she and her husband are partners in her family's almond farming and processing operation, which her husband manages. Janie specializes in valuing commercial permanent planting properties, with particular attention paid to the value impacts of water source and reliability, as well as environmental regulations and constraints, and the changing regulatory environment for both. She appraises agricultural properties and facilities throughout California and Arizona, but specializes in permanent plantings in the northern San Joaquin Valley, southern Sacramento Valley, and the Hualapai Valley where her knowledge of local water resources, water regulations and environmental constraints is an asset in valuation as well as consultation. Janie also appraises a wide range of agricultural facilities and irrigated crops, as well as partial interests such as leaseholds, leased fees, and undivided majority and minority interests. Janie has performed value-related services such as appraisal review, training, consulting, and has on occasion served as an expert witness for litigation.
Janie is an active member of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, currently serving as a Board Member for the California Chapter, ASFMRA, a Certified ASFMRA Instructor and previously serving an 8-year stint as Co-Chair of the California Chapter's flagship annual publication Trends in Agricultural Land and Lease Values. Janie presented the annual Statewide Summary for the Trends update at the California Chapter's annual Spring Agribusiness Outlook Conference in her years as co-chair of the publication, and has also been featured as a speaker on Agricultural Land Value Trends and Investment Valuation at the Appraisal Institutes NorCal Chapters annual Spring Meeting.