In 2004, inspired by their passion for rural sustainability, Bill Bryan and Bill Cook formed the Cook Center for Sustainable Agriculture in the American West. It was a small organization with the goal of being a proactive, collaborative force in agriculture. As time went on, the organization’s interests expanded and evolved and it was decided that a new name was needed to reflect this change.
In January 2007, the Cook Center was renamed The Rural Landscape Institute –
A Catalyst for Food and Agricultural Integrity in the American West (RLI). The organization, located in Bozeman, Montana, focuses on issues that affect sustainable agriculture and food security throughout the West. RLI continues to work on projects started under the Cook Center such as Owning Eden, 21st Century Ranch Manager Training, Open Gates and the Farm & Ranch Recreation Resource Center. It has expanded its areas of interest to include projects that will help create a "new mainstream" of agriculture; inventory and assess the sustainable food movement in the Rockies; encourage new business models for agriculture in Indian communities; and help educate the next generation of agriculturists in the West.
Our mission is to enhance the economic vitality of farms and ranches and the integrity of food security throughout the region, thereby securing the health of the land, open space and sustainable rural communities.
Our vision is that farms, ranches and rural communities in the Northern Plains and Northern Rockies are economically viable, are integral to sustainable food systems, are enhancing the health of the land and open space, and are valued as a critical part of the fabric of the national community and culture.
The Rural Landscape Institute is funded entirely by grants and contributions from individuals and organizations. If you would like to support us, you can send a check to the address below or pay by credit card by clicking this button (JustGive.org processes our donations for us):
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