James Harkness

Jim Harkness is President of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. He spent 16 years living in China and working on conservation and sustainable development issues, including seven years as head of the World Wildlife Fund China program. From 1995–1999, Harkness worked as the Ford Foundation’s Environment and Development Program Officer for China. Harkness has written and spoken frequently on China and sustainable development, and has served as an adviser for the World Bank and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. In July 2006, Mr. Harkness took over leadership of IATP, an international non-governmental “think and do tank.” IATP’s mission is to work at the intersection of policy and practice to ensure fair and sustainable food, farm and trade systems. Based in Minnesota, in the heart of corn ethanol country, IATP was one the first groups to call for development of sustainability criteria for biofuel production, and is active in the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance.