University of Illinois Endowment farms

This article makes one wonder if the University is forgetting it’s roots. Endowment farms may have been given to provide scholarships for students, but I also assume the donors thought the University would continue to allow local farmers to earn a living from the land. Switching to open bids and cash rent agreements may make the process more agreeable with State procurement laws and maximizes the income from the endowment, but it sure hurts the small family farmer. And it raises cash rents on surrounding land.