Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Current Grants

The Leopold Center supports projects in a variety of areas that enhance sustainability for all Iowa agriculture as part of its long-running Competitive Grants Program. These grants fund research, education and demonstration projects across four initiatives: Ecology, Marketing and Food Systems, Policy and Cross-Cutting (involving all three areas).

Projects are listed below by initiative area. Click on the title for a detailed description of the project, who is doing the work, and where it is taking place.

Here's a list of all projects new in 2013 [PDF]

Ecology
Project Title Project ID
Integrating project knowledge and models: The next step in developing a Payment for Ecosystem Services scheme for the Big Creek watershed E2013-08
Suitability of winter canola (Brassica napus) for enhancing summer annual crop rotations in Iowa E2013-16
Predicting long term cover crop impacts on soil quality using a cropping systems model E2013-19
Comparison of Biofuel Systems (COBS) Project: Biomass energy conversion and energy return on investment analyses for 2012 growing season E2013-04
Evaluating perennial crop options for inclusion in agroforestry systems E2013-18
Reconnecting riparian buffers with tile drainage: An emerging technology to reduce nitrate loss from croplands E2013-13
The complex role of tall fescue in grassland ecology E2012-01
Winter rye cover crop effect on corn seedling pathogens E2012-03
Investigation of bacteria transport and resistance mechanisms and implications for water quality from confinement swine and beef grazing production systems in Iowa E2012-05
Use of grazing management to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions while increasing soil organic matter and water-holding capacity of cool season pastures in southern Iowa E2012-08
Understanding soil organic matter change: modeling root and soil interactions across agricultural landscapes E2012-11
Implementing an ISU Extension Master Grazier Certification course E2012-16
Blurring the lines between working and conservation lands: Bird use of prairie strips in row-cropped watersheds E2011-20
Biochar and managed perennial ecosystems: Testing for synergy in ecosystem function and biodiversity E2011-03
Enhancing botanical composition, wildlife habitat and carbon sequestration of pastures in south central Iowa through soil disturbance by mob grazing of beef cattle E2011-06
What drives corn yield stability in the context of climate variability? E2011-07
Farmer perspectives on ecosystem service management, land-use targeting and the future of cornbelt agriculture E2011-15
Impacts of conventional and diversified rotation systems on crop yields, profitability, soil functions and environmental quality E2010-02
Reconnecting Iowa riparian buffers with tile drainage E2010-01
Transitioning to ecologically functional production systems E2010-10
Crop availability of phosphorus in beef manure E2010-12
Improving soil quality by conserving insect pathogens E2010-18
Agricultural soil erosion and carbon cycle observations in Iowa: Gaps threaten climate mitigating policies ESP2010-TP
Evaluating canola (Brassica napus) as an alternative oilseed crop and enhancing winter cover in Iowa E2009-21
Performance of cropping systems designed to reduce nitrate leaching into shallow municipal well aquifers E2009-22
Quantifying the effect of perennial vegetation on soil and water quality E2009-16
Grazing prairie and browsing oak savannah: Improving species diversity while maintaining cattle and goat productivity and resting home pastures E2008-05
Providing shaded pasture with perennial biomass energy plantings E2008-01*
Grazing compatibility in and for future years E2006-01
Marketing
Project Title Project ID
Innovative equipment solutions to reduce costs and improve productivity for small-scale fruit and vegetable growers M2013-07
Recordkeeping education and insurance benchmarking for Iowa fruit and vegetable producers M2013-08
Implementing a seasonal cycle menu for public schools featuring Iowa-grown and processed foods M2013-09
Development of an online food safety training for employees of university farms and school gardens M2013-12
Fostering healthy diets in children through vibrant school gardens M2013-01
Procurement tools to develop sustainable local food purchasing models for farm to school chapters M2012-07
Convening the Regional Food Systems Working Group (RFSWG) M2012-08
Machinery management for small- and medium-sized horticultural farms M2012-11
Transitioning farmers to produce for wholesale markets M2012-12
Micro-farming: Reducing rural and urban food deserts through job training M2012-13
Improving profitability for small and very small meat processors in Iowa M2012-16
Field evaluation and system improvement of a semi-automated mechanical intra-row weeder for vegetable crops M2012-24
Establishing shared-use processing facilities at three possible locations in central and south central Iowa M2012-06
Developing permaculture techniques for increased production and profit in sustainable year-round agriculture for beginning farmers and ranchers in southwest Iowa M2011-05*
Local food in every pot: Growing farmers in northeastern Iowa through public and private partnerships M2011-16
Research and development of an online local foods buying club cooperative M2011-03
Evaluating the impact of regional food system work on growers M2010-19*
Increasing access to healthy, fresh and local food to students in three rural public schools in northeast Iowa M2010-18*
An automated mechanical intra-row weed removal system for vegetable crops M2009-23*
Cultivating the agrarian dream: Aspiring agri-entrepreneurs helping one another choose their path M2009-24*
Developing and implementing a strategic plan for farm-to-school programs in northeast Iowa M2009-04*
Growing up local: A value chain analysis of local produce in Iowa M2009-11*
New Champions Expanded Scope: Developing an action plan for building an expanded regional food economy in Black Hawk and surrounding counties M2007-07*
Policy
Project Title Project ID
Sustainable Agricultural Land Tenure and risk management for extreme climatic events P2013-05
The extent and impact of trust ownership on the sustainability and resiliency of Iowa’s agricultural landscape P2012-01
Sustainable Agricultural Land Tenure (SALT) Initiative II P2012-04
Investigating opportunities for enhancing farmer adoption of strategically targeted prairie strips in Iowa P2012-08
Cross-Cutting
Project Title Project ID
Greenhouse production of high-value crops in an aquaponic system XPSP2013-01
Impacts of conventional and diversified rotation systems on crop yields, profitability, soil functions and environmental quality: Stage II XP2013-01
Increasing visibility of energy conservation and renewable energy on Iowa's small to mid-sized farms XP2013-03
Cultivating conservation: Bringing ecology, economics and ethics together XP2013-10
Demonstrating farrowing alternatives for small farms: Insulated tents for sows and pigs XP2012-04
The University of Iowa Biomass Partnership Project XP2012-05
Farm metered energy analyses: Getting baseline data, ground-truthing changes XP2012-06
Attracting pollinators and natural enemies to add value to Iowa agriculture XP2012-07
Building social networks to capture synergies in wood-based energy production and invasive pest mitigation XP2011-07
Increasing Iowa farmers' resiliency through the Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) cooperators' program XP2011-01
Iowa Farm Energy Working Group XP2011-03
The Long-Term Agroecological Research (LTAR) Experiment: Ecological benefits of organic crop rotations in terms of crop yields, soil quality, economic performance and potential global climate change mitigation XP2011-02
Sustainable production of bioenergy from agricultural and food waste XPSP2011-SJ
Grass-Based Livestock Working Group G2008-01

Projects with * asterisk: Work on these grant projects has been completed and is awaiting a final report.

About the grant process

The Leopold Center’s Competitive Grants Program that is open to all Iowa educational and non-profit organizations. Each year, the Center selects new research and demonstration projects to fund. A Request for Pre-proposals (RFP) is issued in June, pre-proposals are due in late summer, and decisions on full proposal development are made in early fall. Final funding decisions occur in January. More details here.