Suzan Erem

Suzan Erem is a lifelong community and union organizer as well as professional working writer. Suzan graduated from the University of Iowa in the mid-1980s with a dual degree in Journalism and English, but soon became active saving family farms. Job opportunities eventually dragged her out of Iowa.

Suzan returned to 80 acres in Cedar County in 2010 to see young people locked out of farming while the local food movement was growing exponentially. She and her husband Paul Durrenberger scanned the horizon and saw many worthy organizations training new farmers, building local food networks and supporting sustainable farming methods, but no one tackling the daunting issue land speculation and its pervasive effect on fruit, vegetable and small livestock farmers.

After two years of research and networking, she helped gather 25 of the best minds in sustainable agriculture, planning, development and advocacy together to launch SILT so beginning farmers can pursue a life of growing healthy food and local food fans can enjoy their farmers markets and locally-sourced food restaurants long after the farms that grow that food change hands.