Author: Lacey Benz

Farm Field Trip

Written by Lacey Benz 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 Lacey Benz 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...

How impact investing helps meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals

Written by Lacey Benz on April 9, 2019. Posted in Investment News.

What are the UN Sustainable Development Goals? In 2016, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emerged as a strategic framework that companies, organizations, and policymakers can apply to solve the world’s most pressing issues. Ranging from eliminating poverty to protecting the planet, the 17 sustainable development goals are a 15-year agenda for progress. These goals include natural resource management, climate responsibility and global health. Investing in Global Change Moving...

2018 SRI Conference: The 29th Annual Conference for Sustainable, Responsible & Impact Investing

Written by Lacey Benz on November 1, 2018. Posted in Events.

Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT is excited to sponsor the 2018 SRI Conference in Colorado Springs! This marks the eighth consecutive year that Iroquois Valley will be attending and the fifth straight year as a sponsor of the event. SRI brings together the largest group of socially responsible investment advisors in the country, and Iroquois Valley Founder and CEO Dave Miller is excited to be reconnecting with many of the financial professionals that helped build the Company into the $50 million...

Civil Eats: Can an Investment Firm Help Increase U.S. Organic Farmland?

Written by Lacey Benz on October 30, 2018. Posted in News & Media.

Iroquois Valley was featured in a Civil Eats article, “Can an Investment Firm Help Increase U.S. Organic Farmland?” for our work to help scale organic agriculture in America. The article features interviews with farmers we work with at Vilicus Farm, Creambrook Farm, and Richview Farms. Some key takeaways from the article: Demand for organic products is increasing in the US, but organic acreage has not increased at the same rate. Iroquois Valley is changing that by financing farmland...

The Chicken and The Egg: Stop Linear Farming and Embrace Circular Agriculture

Written by Lacey Benz on October 24, 2018. Posted in What We're Reading.

In a recent Forbes article, “The Chicken and The Egg: Stop Linear Farming and Embrace Circular Agriculture,” our partners at Main Street Project had their poultry-centered permaculture model featured in an interview with head agronomist, Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin. In it, he speaks about Main Street’s holistic approach to farming with nature and building an equitable model where smallholder farmers can succeed. Our favorite quotes from the article: On their vision – “As farmers...

Slow Money Gathering 2013

Written by Lacey Benz on May 5, 2013. Posted in Events.

Iroquois Valley’s Director of Impact, John Steven Bianucci, spoke at the 2013 Slow Money Gathering in Boulder, CO. Watch his presentation: