Sustainable Iowa Land Trust receives $1.8M USDA grant to increase land access for underrepresented farmers Group expands “Circle Our Cities” Campaign to protect farmland in Waterloo and Cedar Rapids West Branch, IA —The Sustainable Iowa Land Trust (SILT) is the recipient of a $1,811,700 grant from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to increase land access for underrepresented farmers. The organization will also expand its Circle Our Cities Campaign to protect vulnerable farmland. The campaign will circle 10 Iowa cities with 10 permanent, sustainable farms in 10 years and has begun in Dubuque, Des Moines, Fairfield, and Iowa City. [...]

Iowa’s only land trust dedicated to preserving land to grow table food announced today its transition from founder to first professional executive director, a complicated but promising transition for a young nonprofit. The Sustainable Iowa Land Trust (SILT) has hired Breanna Horsey of Storm Lake as its next leader upon the announcement of Executive Director Suzan Erem’s retirement after nearly a decade launching the statewide organization. A native of Angleton, Texas, Horsey previously served as the executive director of Storm Lake United, where she successfully promoted business, tourism and economic development in the Northwest Iowa town. Horsey’s experience also [...]