Jacqueline's child, Liam, stands among the lambs at Central Grazing Co |
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Central Grazing Company
Douglas County, KS
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Jacqueline Smith of Central Grazing Company is instigating food systems change in Northeastern Kansas and beyond. In 2023, Central Grazing will sell approximately 2,000 lambs. These lambs are sourced from Jacqueline's farm as well as from several other regenerative sheep farms in Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Idaho. The Central Grazing network of sheep farmers regenerate depleted soils through dynamic livestock management and grazing practices. Informed by how prairie ecosystems evolved, the sheep graze concentrated areas and then depart, leaving time for the seedbeds and plants to rebound with added vitality after each rotation as roots sequester carbon safely in the soil. Jacqueline has been a sheep farmer her entire adult life, first co-founding a small grass-fed sheep dairy in Northwest Missouri. This farm sourced from a dozen other small sheep milk producers to make cheese, and then sold the cheese nationally. Although they were accessing a specialty market for the sheep cheese, many of the lambs born on these artisanal dairy farms had no market for sale available except through feedlots. Eventually, Jacqueline decided she would create a solution to this problem, and she pivoted from dairy farming to producing and aggregating lambs to sell as premium meat through direct-to-consumer, online marketing.
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Developing a resilient & holistic business |
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Already a witness of the impact that sheep on pasture can have on soil health, Jacqueline created Central Grazing Company to address the lack of local markets for high animal welfare, grass-fed, and independently produced lamb meat in her region. Addressing the need for value-added markets quickly exposed deeper regional infrastructure needs, including meat processing. Jacqueline is working on a multi-phase, holistic approach to vertically integrate cut-and-wrap meat processing, and then to eventually add slaughter capacity. This work is supported by a group of regional partners and funded through the American Rescue Act, USDA grants, and at the county level. Learn more about Kaw Valley Meats and its development on the Central Grazing Co blog here.
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In addition to Central Grazing’s powerful mission to “regenerate grassland by producing food that benefits the planet,” their operation creates “economic value for independent, regional farmers and providing living wages for their workers.” A significant aspect of Jacqueline’s value-creation strategy is through building a brand with a transparent supply chain that thoughtfully utilizes its resources. One example is Central Grazing’s lamb leather bag product line which minimizes waste from slaughter while also creating an additional revenue source. Another is by educating consumers on how to cook every cut of lamb so that the whole animal is honored and efficiently utilized.
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Central Grazing Co's Regional Food Model |
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Jacqueline has been in search of well-aligned funders to enable land access, growth of her flocks, and sustainable, regional processing and marketing for the products produced. Jacqueline initially contacted Iroquois Valley in 2020 to learn more about our investment process and eventually requested financing to help expand her sheep flock from Central Grazing’s network of lamb producers. Jacqueline farms at two locations - an 80-acre home farm and a 300-acre leased farm - so grazing space is not an issue. Central Grazing is also negotiating a major public/private agrivoltaic project in partnership with Douglas County, KS, and Cromwell Solar. This project's goal is to build Kaw Valley Meats on public land. The processing facility will be powered with solar panels that the animals waiting for processing will graze under until slaughtered - creating a new model that keeps animals out of confinement for their entire lives. However, growing her operation cannot happen without additional working capital.
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Iroquois Valley closed its investment with Jacqueline in the last quarter of 2022, which enabled her to unlock the additional capital needed to expand. Leading up to this deal, Jacqueline stated that “a partnership with Iroquois Valley would be catalytic in securing working capital needed to complete our fundraising for expansion.” Jacqueline’s business expertise and fundraising success are a force of nature. |
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Lambs on pasture at Central Grazing Co |
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We are honored to be a part of the community of catalytic capital needed to support Jacqueline’s team and their vision. Iroquois Valley’s investment in Central Grazing has also engaged the organic certification process at Jacqueline’s home farm, which is already in perennial pasture management and without any chemical use for years now.
To keep up with Central Grazing Co’s work, consider signing up for their newsletter.
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An update from our Investor Relations team |
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We are busy working on our new Rooted in Regeneration Note Offering and want to share the latest updates. The terms have been finalized, and the legal documents are in progress. We anticipate the official launch will be in early summer. More details will be available as the launch date approaches.
Our REIT Equity Shares Offering is currently paused as we reprice our shares (this process occurs twice per year). We look forward to announcing the new share price soon, and we expect to re-open the REIT Offering to new investments in early May. Stay tuned!
Finally, our Spring Redemption Period is May 1st through May 20th for those shareholders that are eligible. Shareholders and advisors will be notified via a separate announcement.
We continue to fund a strong pipeline of organic and regenerative farmers and ranchers making a positive impact on the environment, climate change, and human health. An upcoming farm blast will feature the pipeline of farmers in more detail. If you are interested in learning more about our investment opportunities, please email invest@iroquoisvalleyfarms.com.
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The information contained on this website is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security, insurance product, or service. Any product or service discussed in this website is intended for and is only appropriate for accredited and institutional investors and other qualified purchasers as determined by current SEC regulations and orders. The information available on this website is for informational purposes only.
Securities involve risk, and investment may result in a partial or total loss. Some of the statements herein may constitute forward-looking statements under federal securities laws. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including those described in offering circulars prepared for the purpose of offering and selling securities by Iroquois Valley. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Any historical returns, expected returns, or probability projections may not reflect actual future performance.
Iroquois Valley and its affiliates are not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. It is strongly recommended that any purchase or sale decision be discussed with a financial advisor, tax advisor, broker-dealer, or a member of any financial regulatory body. The information contained herein has been provided as an information service only. The accuracy or completeness of the information is not warranted and is only as reliable as the sources from which it was obtained.
In particular, Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT, PBC is offering its common stock for sale pursuant to Tier 2 of Regulation A+, and as such intends to be exempted from state qualification pursuant to federal law. Offerings are only made through our Offering Circular, available here. No offer to sell securities or solicitation of an offer to buy securities is being made herein or in any state where such offer or sale is not permitted under the blue sky or state securities laws thereof.
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CONNECTING FARMERS, COMMUNITIES, AND INVESTORS SINCE 2007
As a corporate guideline, we do not look for specific farmland to purchase or finance. We develop relationships with farmers who want to grow their businesses. We move forward when we have a ready, willing, and able farmer.
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Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT | Public Benefit Corporation
Certified B Corporation | Est. 2007
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