Ben Lilliston
Director of Rural Strategies and Climate Change
Ben Lilliston is the director of rural strategies and climate change at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. Ben reports, analyzes and writes about the intersection of climate, agriculture and trade policy. He works with Midwest, national and international partners to build a policy framework for a just transition for farmers and rural communities in responding to the climate crisis.
Recent papers include, Revisiting Crisis by Design: Climate Change; New NAFTA Continues Damaging Environmental Legacy, Missing the Mark(et): Farm Bill Reforms for Higher Value Markets; From the Ground Up: the State of the States on Climate Adaptation and Agriculture; and The Climate Cost of Free Trade.
Ben was a contributor to the U.N. Committee on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Trade and Environmental Review 2013, the book "Mandate for Change" (Lexington) and co-author of the book "Genetically Engineered Foods: A Guide for Consumers" (Avalon). He previously worked as a researcher, writer and editor at a number of organizations including the Center for Study of Responsive Law, the Corporate Crime Reporter, Multinational Monitor, Cancer Prevention Coalition and Sustain. Ben has a Bachelors of Philosophy from University of Miami (Ohio).