News & Notes | Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

News & Notes

RFP update

The Leopold Center's 2011 Request for Pre-proposals (RFP) resulted in 74 submissions: 11 in policy, 24 in marketing, 24 in ecology and 15 in cross-cutting. After review by members of the Leopold Center staff and advisory board, the Center is requesting full proposals for 27 submissions. Proposals are due 5 p.m., Thursday, November 10. They will be evaluated by a review panel, advisory board and staff for consideration of funding in early 2012.

New advisory board officers

John Olthoff, Dordt College professor who represents the Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities on the Leopold Center Advisory Board, will serve as the new board chair. He replaces Van Buren County farmer Jennifer Steffen, who had served as chair the past two years. Iowa Department of Natural Resources administrator Bill Ehm will be vice chair; Keith Summerville, associate professor and associate dean at Drake University, will serve as member-at-large.

Vegetable wash stations

Iowa growers who want to be sure they are following good postharvest handling and food safety practices can learn how to build their own vegetable wash stations. The plans are based on what’s in use at One Step At a Time Gardens near Kanawha, and were expanded as a project of the Fruit and Vegetable Working Group. Find a link to the designs and an online tool to other recommended postharvest handling practices on the Leopold Center’s Cool Tools page.

New resources for produce growers

Two new Iowa State specialists in food crop production—assistant professor Ajay Nair in horticulture and extension horticulturist Joe Hannan—offer online resources for fruit and vegetable growers. Nair writes the Iowa Vegetable blog, and Hannan has developed a new monthly newsletter and website at IowaProduce.org. They are part of a new ISU Regional Food Systems Partnership of the Leopold Center, ISU Extension and ISU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Summer intern completes work

Joanna Hamilton, a graduate student from Tufts University, joined the Leopold Center for a nine-week summer internship. She interviewed leaders of 16 groups who participate in the Regional Food Systems Working Group about their experiences that could be shared with others interested in making more locally grown products available in their communities. She also helped adapt a manual for producers from the GROWN Locally cooperative in northeast Iowa. A native of Indiana, Hamilton is working on dual degrees in agriculture, food and environment and urban and environmental policy and planning.

Director search update

On-campus interviews for finalists for a new full-time director of the Leopold Center are expected to be held in November. Applications close on October 1 and as of press time, five applications had been received. A 10-member committee is conducting the search. Check here for updates.

'Out to the Lakes' video available

Iowa Learning Farms has produced another video in its Culture of Conservation series. “Out to the Lakes” encourages viewers to think about water quality and their personal relationship with their local lake or water body. The case study used in the film is Black Hawk Lake in west central Iowa. Discussion questions are included and an educational curriculum will be available soon. Free copies are available by request, at ilf@iastate.edu. The Leopold Center is a collaborating organization with ILF. More about the video and how to view online.