Washington, D.C., May 15, 2008—The Board of Directors of American Farmland Trust has named Jon Scholl the President to succeed Ralph Grossi, who will be stepping down as President after 23 years.

Scholl, an Illinois farmer, has most recently served as the Counselor to the Administrator for Agricultural Policy at US EPA where he led the development of the first EPA National Agriculture Strategy, agricultural advisory committee, and agency-wide cross media agriculture team. In addition, he helped direct Agency regulations on animal feeding operations, spill prevention, clean air rules and emission reporting requirements; and provided input and counsel to the USDA farm bill team on the conservation provisions of the Administration’s 2007 farm bill proposal.

Prior to that position, Scholl served for 25 years with the Illinois Farm Bureau as Executive Assistant to the President, and in a variety of other positions including director of public policy, director of national legislation, and director of natural resources. In these roles, Scholl gained extensive public policy and legislative experience at all levels of government. 

“The Board conducted a thorough search for a worthy successor to our long-standing President, Ralph Grossi, who shaped AFT from its founding in 1980 to become the nation’s leading organization for farmland protection,” said Jay Winthrop, AFT Chairman. “We are delighted to bring a new President of Jon’s caliber on board to lead the organization at this exciting time. As a farmer and former Farm Bureau and EPA official, Jon embodies AFT’s mission at the intersection of agriculture and the environment. Jon is uniquely qualified to build on our tradition of leadership in farmland protection and to lead AFT in the years ahead as we implement a new strategic plan.”

Jon and his family own and operate a corn and soybean farm in McLean County, Illinois. He received his Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and more recently received the University’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences Award of Merit. As a student, Scholl was State President of the Illinois Association Future Farmers of America and later served as Chairman of the Illinois FFA Foundation Board of Trustees. Scholl has also been a member of the University of Illinois Agricultural Economics Department Advisory Board.

“Our farmland is the basis for the most productive agricultural system in the world. Leading the effort to protect it, and to encourage its wise use is a challenge I strongly believe in, and eagerly accept,” added Scholl. Jon Scholl will begin his tenure at AFT on July 7.