Western Illinois native to head The Land Institute (Kansas)

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Debbie Hillman

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May 6, 2016, 1:46:52 PM5/6/16
to AUA Agriculture for Urban, ILFFCoalition Farms Coalition Local Food and, illinoisfarmersmarkets
Congratulations to Fred Iutzi for being named the new president of The Land Institute, the conservation-minded research entity founded 30+ years ago in Salina, Kansas.  Fred will be taking co-founder Wes Jackson's place.  Here is the link to the official announcement:

Many of us know Fred as a long-time manager of Western Illinois University's Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (in the areas of food, agriculture, energy, and cooperative development).  Although I haven't had the pleasure of working closely with Fred, his presence and work have been felt around the state, including the urban areas of Illinois.  According to the official announcement, Fred has deep ties to Illinois (7 generations), so hopefully he will continue to expand on those roots and his Illinois networks in his new position.

For those who do not know much about The Land Institute, I recommend checking it out.  Here is the mission statement:  
"When people, land, and community are as one, all three members prosper; when they relate not as members but as competing interests, all three are exploited. By consulting Nature as the source and measure of that membership, The Land Institute seeks to develop an agriculture that will save soil from being lost or poisoned, while promoting a community life at once prosperous and enduring.”

According to Fred's own announcement, his duties at IIRA "will be taken over by my colleague Jolene Willis. I am very pleased to be able to leave things in such capable hands. Jolene can be reached at js-willis@wiu or 309-298-2835."   

I do not know Jolene personally, but IIRA is one of the few Illinois entities working on cooperatives.  For that reason alone, the rest of Illinois should be paying attention to their work.

-- Debbie


Debbie Hillman
Evanston, Illinois

FOOD, FARMS & DEMOCRACY
Getting specific about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
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