Year: 2021
“Biodiversity—the variation of life on Earth—is essential to healthy ecosystems and serves as nature’s own system of checks and balances.”
Rodale Institute
On May 22nd, the U.N.-sponsored International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) was celebrated around the world. Events included visual art shows in the U.S., biodiversity presentations in Portugal, and gardening workshops in South Africa. The IDB reminds us that biodiversity is the solution to several sustainable development challenges,...
The Promises & Perils of Regenerative Agriculture
Written by Lacey Benz on . Posted in What We're Reading.
One of the most common questions we get asked is whether we differentiate between regenerative agriculture and organic agriculture when financing our farms. Our standard response is that the term “regenerative agriculture” is still in development and does not have a definition that is agreed upon across the industry. In contrast, we believe the USDA Organic certification offers a clear and comprehensive basis for farmers to participate and be distinguished in the marketplace.
That being...
Worried about inflation? Invest in organic farmland
Written by Lacey Benz on . Posted in News & Media.
“Now is a very good time to invest in one of human civilization’s oldest and most reliable sources of wealth… farmland.”
Justin Anderson, Yahoo Finance
The rising fear of inflation is causing many investors to direct their money toward bonds or alternative asset classes instead of the stock market. Despite investors’ concerns, the Federal Reserve continues to hold rates steady, calling any inflation increases “transitory” amid the government stimulus.
For investors interested...
Featherstone Farm: COVID Stories
Written by Lacey Benz on . Posted in What We're Reading.
The coronavirus pandemic has put the food system in the spotlight in new ways. Our farmer partners at Featherstone Farm in Fillmore County, Minnesota share their experience navigating the pandemic as an organic vegetable operation in a video featuring three of their returning seasonal farmworkers.
Iroquois Valley provided financing to Featherstone Farm. Featherstone is the only farm entirely dedicated to vegetable production within Iroquois Valleys’ portfolio.
Iroquois Valley named to the IA 50 for the ninth year in a row
Written by Lacey Benz on . Posted in News & Media.
Iroquois Valley was named an Emeritus Manager by ImpactAssets in its annual IA 50. This year, ImpactAssets celebrates its tenth year curating its widely recognized list of impact investment fund managers.
According to ImpactAssets, the IA 50 is an annual showcase of companies dedicated to making impact investments, offering a gateway into the world of impact investing for investors and their financial advisors. The IA 50 offers an easy way to identify experienced and emerging impact fund...
New Partnership Brings Tree-Range® Chicken to Americans’ Doorsteps
Written by Lacey Benz on . Posted in What We're Reading.
We recently financed the purchase of 75 acres in Rice County, MN for Reginaldo & Amy Haslett-Marroquin to establish their home farm at Salvatierra Farm. Iroquois Valley is pleased to be a key financial partner to the BIPOC farmers and others who are central to seeing Tree-Range® chicken supply chain come alive. More info to come in a future newsletter. We’re sharing their good news about a partnership with Blue Nest Beef:
NORTHFIELD, Minn., Jan. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Blue...
A partnership to support diverse, beginning farmers access more money
Written by Lacey Benz on . Posted in News & Media.
A project funded in fall 2020, led by Food Finance Institute (FFI), is on a mission to lower the risk of beginning farm investments to make them more attractive to funders. The project is funded through a $387,000, three-year Beginning Farmer Rancher Development Program grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
FFI will work with funders, investors and beginning farmers to create and provide a financial technical assistance (TA) program that will provide beginning...