Author: Nora Chovanec

Press Release: Iroquois Valley Increases B Corp Impact Score

Written by Nora Chovanec on September 9, 2025. Posted in Investment News, News & Media.

Chicago, Ill.—September 9, 2025—Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT, PBC, an impact-driven leader in the investment and stewardship of organic, regenerative farmland, recently received its B Corp recertification and increased its score from 107 to 124, significantly driven by investment in their people and benefits. “Every three years, Iroquois Valley is required to recertify as a B Corp,” said CEO Chris Zuehlsdorff. “We are proud to have increased our score and be ranked in the top...

Farm Profile: Vilicus Farms

Written by Nora Chovanec on September 8, 2025. Posted in Farm Profile.

FARMERS: Doug & Anna Jones-Crabtree LOCATION: Hill County, MT SIZE: 11,200 Acres JOINED OUR PORTFOLIO: 2016 Doug and Anna Jones-Crabtree are first-generation farmers growing Regenerative Organic Certified Silver-level heirloom grains and legumes in the Northern Great Plains of Montana. Alongside a dedicated crew, they run Vilicus Farms, an 11,200-acre dryland crop operation, of which 3,500 acres are financed in partnership with Iroquois Valley....

Farm Profile: Black Wind Farm

Written by Nora Chovanec on August 7, 2025. Posted in Farm Profile.

FARMER: Justin Butts LOCATION: Albany County, NY SIZE: 105 Acres JOINED OUR PORTFOLIO: 2022 Justin Butts of Black Wind Farm is a chef, Navy veteran, and first-generation farmer working to reconnect people to food, land, and each other. Nestled in the rolling hills of upstate New York, Black Wind Farm is home to a small herd of Kunekune pigs, cattle, sheep, and goats. For Justin, animal welfare is paramount—from the way he raises his livestock to the...

Farm Profile: Prairie Grass Ranch

Written by Nora Chovanec on July 9, 2025. Posted in Farm Profile.

FARMER: Jody & Crystal Manuel LOCATION: Hill County, MT SIZE: 7,500 acres JOINED OUR PORTFOLIO: 2021 Jody and Crystal Manuel are third-generation farmers and homesteaders in Havre, Montana. Together with their six children, they operate Prairie Grass Ranch, Gruff Grains heritage grits, and the legacy brand Cream of the West. Motivated by a personal health crisis over two decades ago, the Manuels transitioned their land to organic and became...

Farm Profile: Roberts Family Organics

Written by Nora Chovanec on June 9, 2025. Posted in Farm Profile.

FARMER: Adam Roberts LOCATION: Ford & Livingston, IL SIZE: 350 Acres JOINED OUR PORTFOLIO: 2017 Adam Roberts of Roberts Family Organics may be a first-generation farm owner, but his agricultural roots run deep. His mother comes from a legacy farming family, but farmland rarely passes from mother to son in traditional Midwestern communities. As a result, Adam didn’t grow up on a farm—but he found his way into agriculture through his maternal...

A man in a light blue dress shirt smiles while standing next to a tree. The background features a suburban street, green grass, and leafy trees on a sunny day.

Iroquois Valley Welcomes Jeff Anderson to the Board of Directors

Written by Nora Chovanec on May 13, 2025. Posted in News & Media.

Iroquois Valley is proud to welcome Farmer, Jeff Anderson, to our Board of Directors. Mr. Anderson is a fifth-generation farmer (second generation organic farmer) in Northern Illinois and former accountant/auditor. He was raised on a 450-acre Illinois cattle farm that was converted to organic grain farming by his father in 1998. From 2012 to 2014, Mr. Anderson transitioned ownership and management of the farming operation from his father. In 2014, he became an Iroquois Valley tenant and is...

2024 Public Benefit Report

Written by Nora Chovanec on May 8, 2025. Posted in News & Media.

We are pleased to share our 2024 Public Benefit Report with our stakeholders. Without our investors, farmers, and members of team Iroquois Valley, pursuing our ambitious vision to transform agriculture would not be possible. As a result of the support from all our stakeholders, our impact continues to grow and compound over time. The report details our portfolio of farms and impact efforts. It features stories about our farmers, Corey and Rick Johnson of Johnson Family Farm in Will...

Farm Profile: Wholesome Meadows

Written by Nora Chovanec on May 5, 2025. Posted in Farm Profile.

FARMER: Josh & Sara Smith LOCATION: Wells County, IN SIZE: 77 Acres JOINED OUR PORTFOLIO: 2024 Josh and Sara Smith are first-generation farmers raising their three kids—Isaac, Sadie, and Cora—on Wholesome Meadows Farm in northeastern Indiana. What began in 2014 as a small farmstead has since grown into a diversified organic operation spread across 157 acres. The Smiths own 80 acres dedicated to produce, berries, pumpkins, and pasture-raised...

Farm Profile: Diamond E. Ranch

Written by Nora Chovanec on April 4, 2025. Posted in Farm Profile.

RANCHER: Cindy Tolle LOCATION: Cochise County, AZ SIZE: 22,000 Acres JOINED OUR PORTFOLIO: 2024 Cindy Tolle is a biologist, an environmental chemist, and a mother with decades of ranching experience across the West. At the Diamond E. Ranch in Cochise County, Arizona, Cindy, along with her family and her team, Steven and Angie Terrell, approach their work first and foremost as land stewards. Their multi-generational endeavor has US ranch hubs in the...

Farm Profile: Eli’s Ridge

Written by Nora Chovanec on March 10, 2025. Posted in Farm Profile.

FARMER: The Hatleys LOCATION: Oakboro, NC SIZE: 110 Acres JOINED OUR PORTFOLIO: 2022 FARM STORY Shawn and Jennifer Hatley are fourth-generation farmers in Stanly County who raise sheep, pigs, cows, ducks, and chickens with their sons, Blake and Eli. The Hatleys apply sustainable and regenerative farming principles and work within a perennial pasture and forest-based farming system (also known as silvopasture) in Oakboro, a suburb of Charlotte. We...