Claire Mesesan, Author at Iroquois Valley

If We Want to Change Our Food System, We Need to Change Our Finance System

Written by Claire Mesesan on November 8, 2019. Posted in News & Media.

Heritage breed pigs at Yker Acres Farm in Carlton County, MN While organic farming is growing, only 1% of all U.S. farmland is farmed organically. We’re looking to change that by providing secure, long-term land access for regenerative farmers. Key quotes: Our investment theory is that land security enables land stewardship — we believe that farmers will thrive when they’re backed by long-term capital that shares risk. In our experience, there’s no shortage of farmers who...

Is Organic Farming Risky?

Written by Claire Mesesan on October 25, 2019. Posted in What We're Reading.

The National Center for Appropriate Technology recently released a report evaluating risk in organic agriculture based on five years of research. “I’m able to report that we found no strong evidence that organic farms are any riskier than non-organic ones, and at least some evidence to the contrary”, says Jeff Schahczenski, an Agriculture and Natural Resource Economist who helped author the report. Our own farmer partner, Doug Crabtree, who operates Vilicus Farms with...

A Best for the World Company

Written by Claire Mesesan on September 4, 2019. Posted in News & Media.

Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT, PBC is recognized as a “Best For The World” B Corp for customers, governance and overall. Iroquois Valley, a Certified B Corporation, has been named a Best For The World honoree in recognition of their significant positive impact in their innovative governance structures, supportive customer service, and across all categories. Ranking in the top 10% of all B Corps for their overall impact, Iroquois Valley earned this honor because of their overall mission,...

Purpose-driven business

Written by Claire Mesesan on August 28, 2019. Posted in News & Media.

As a B Corp and Public Benefit Corporation, Iroquois Valley has long been committed to creating positive triple bottom line impacts. We’re grateful to be part of a community that recognizes business should consider all stakeholders, including people and planet. We’re glad to see that these ideas have gone mainstream with the Business Rountable’s recent announcement about the role of business in creating value for all stakeholders. The founders of the B Corp movement weighed...

Soil Wealth

Written by Claire Mesesan on August 8, 2019. Posted in What We're Reading.

Croatan Institute recently released Soil Wealth, a comprehensive look at investing in regenerative agriculture across the US. Their term, soil wealth, relates to “the constellation of benefits associated with building both soil health and community wealth through regenerative agriculture.” The report offers an in-depth study of what’s already happening in this space alongside recommendations for capacity-building and growing the movement. We’re highlighted...

Press Release: Iroquois Valley’s Direct Public Offering

Written by Claire Mesesan on July 25, 2019. Posted in News & Media.

Retail investors can now directly invest in organic farmland through Iroquois Valley’s Direct Public Offering (DPO). The DPO provides a long-term investment opportunity targeting market rate returns for the asset class while supporting healthy food production, environmental stewardship, and prosperity for independent farmers and their communities. “We want to mobilize the public to invest directly in small farmers and participate in building a healthier agricultural system,” says CEO...

Aeris Impact Management Assessment

Written by Claire Mesesan on July 1, 2019. Posted in News & Media.

We recently became one of the first companies to undergo an Impact Management Assessment by Aeris. This assessment evaluates a fund’s impact management capacity by focusing on impact management systems and processes as the strongest indicator of the fund’s ability to make investments in alignment with its stated impact thesis and to achieve its impact goals. Aeris’ methodology has been established and refined through performing impact management and financial analyses and ratings of CDFIs...

‘A major punch in the gut’: Midwest rains projected to create near-record dead zone in Gulf

Written by Claire Mesesan on June 20, 2019. Posted in What We're Reading.

It’s been a slow spring in the Midwest, marked by historically wet conditions that have caused floods and delayed planting throughout the region. These effects are being felt throughout the region and beyond: flooding in the Midwest is accelerating the flow of water from the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico. The Washington Post recently reported on the connection between Midwestern agriculture and ocean health – and it’s not pretty. It’s critical that the farms in the Mississippi...

Farm Field Trip

Written by Claire Mesesan on June 11, 2019. Posted in Events.

During the last week of May, a handful of Iroquois Valley staff members visited a few of the farms and families that have been a part of our story since the beginning. The field trip was a great opportunity for our newer and more remote staff to have a hands-on orientation and see the transformation happening in the Chicago-area foodshed. North Central Illinois may not be well known for organic and regenerative agriculture, but the movement is growing there quickly. When Iroquois Valley bought...

Restoring the Heartland

Written by Claire Mesesan on April 15, 2019. Posted in News & Media.

Iroquois Valley was featured in the Spring 2019 issue of the Stanford Social Innovation Review – read the piece here. “Restoring the Heartland” looks broadly at trends in agriculture and positions our work providing secure land tenure to transitioning and organic farmers as part of a larger shift toward regenerative economic and agricultural systems. Key quote: “In our view, we are regenerating an asset we’re lending against,” says Miller. “Our investors understand that our business...

Author: Claire Mesesan

If We Want to Change Our Food System, We Need to Change Our Finance System

Is Organic Farming Risky?

A Best for the World Company

Purpose-driven business

Soil Wealth

Press Release: Iroquois Valley’s Direct Public Offering

Aeris Impact Management Assessment

‘A major punch in the gut’: Midwest rains projected to create near-record dead zone in Gulf

Farm Field Trip

Restoring the Heartland

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Iroquois Valley named to the IA 50 for the twelfth consecutive year

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