Leilani Zimmer Durand - Live stream from Wisconsin
Leilani Zimmer-Durand is a farm consultant, ecologist and agronomic educator with more than 15 years of experience in biological and organic farming. She studied Botany at the Universities of Wisconsin & Hawaii. Six years of work in endangered species management followed before she returned to Wisconsin to work in agriculture research and teach.
Leilani has written and spoken widely on soil health and fertility. Leilani is the former VP of Research and Development at Midwestern BioAg where she developed and tested carbon-based fertilisers. Leilani co-authored 'Advancing Biological Farming' and the updated 'The Biological Farmer'. Growing up on a small farm in beautiful southwestern Wisconsin, Leilani developed a great love for nature. She spent countless childhood hours building forts in the woods and riding her horse over the hills and around the woods surrounding their farm. When she went to college, she decided to study ecology so she could work to preserve nature. |
After working for a number of years in endangered species management, she decided to take a position at her father's company and work in biological agriculture. Leilani explained, 'agriculture has tremendous potential to do good for our environment, but also tremendous potential to do harm. I see working with farmers to help them build a system centered around soil health, crop diversity and reduced chemical use as one of the best things I can do to help preserve and maintain our environment.