Illini Farmground
Why the University of Illinois Is Investing in Farmland
Early in Ellen Ellison’s tenure as chief investment officer for the University of Illinois Foundation, she and some staff toured a university-owned farm in Monticello, 30 miles west of the flagship Urbana-Champaign campus.
Ellison is aiming to make farmland about 10 percent of the $1.8 billion endowment portfolio she oversees. Separately the university manages an additional $800 million, which also includes farms.
Part of the strategy is to draw more gifts of land. The university already owns almost 17,000 acres of donated farmland, dotted across 25 counties in central Illinois, planted mostly with corn and soybeans.
17,000 acres! I had no clue.
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Grace & Peace & Love to you all -
Matt
