Latest news from the Leopold Center
Check out other news from the Leopold Center by reading the monthly e-newsletter, Notes from the Leopold Center. Read the current issue, or sign up to have it sent to your e-mailbox every month.
View older news releases in our news archive.
6-29-09
Biomass energy: What's practical, what's possible?
Join Practical Farmers of Iowa at the Biomass Energy Conversion (BECON) Facility in Nevada on Tuesday, July 14 at 2 p.m. to learn more about biomass energy as an alternative energy option. The Leopold Center’s new Farm Energy Working Group also will hold a meeting at the BECON facility before the field day, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Read more
6-29-09
Postharvest handling of vegetables highlighted at July workshops
Two upcoming workshops will highlight postharvest handling of vegetables, wholesale sales and preparing produce for market, practices that can ensure a producer’s competitive edge at the market, additional profits for the farm and fewer food safety concerns. The workshops will be at Chris Blanchard’s Rock Spring Farm in Decorah on July 26 and at Norine and Duane Black’s Black’s Heritage Farm in Ames, on July 27. Both workshops will run from 1 to 5 p.m. and are organized by the Fruit and Vegetable Working Group coordinated by the Leopold Center and Iowa State University's Value Added Agriculture program. Read more
6-25-09
Drake, Leopold Center launch land tenure project
Sustainable agriculture and land tenure are the focus of a new research and outreach collaboration between the Agricultural Law Center at Drake University and the Leopold Center at Iowa State University. The Iowa Landowner and Sustainable Agricultural Land Stewardship project will explore trends in Iowa farmland ownership and the transition of land to a new generation of owners, many of whom will rent or lease farmland to others. Read more
6-22-09
Leopold Center seeks project ideas for 2010 and beyond
The Leopold Center has issued its 2009 Request for Pre-proposals (RFP) for new projects as part of its long-running competitive grants programs. Each of the Center’s initiative areas – ecology, marketing and food systems and policy – has a separate section in the RFP. Investigators representing any Iowa nonprofit organization/agency and/or educational institution (such as soil and water conservation districts, schools and colleges, and regional development groups) may submit pre-proposals. Deadline is 5 p.m., August 19, and funding for approved projects will be available in early 2010. Read more
6-17-09
Leopold Center research examines ethanol coproducts for forage-based beef systems
With corn ethanol production increasing the demand for corn and competing for acres available for grazing, a project of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture looks at how cattle producers can reap the benefits of both systems. The Leopold Center’s Ecology Initiative is funding a multi-year research and demonstration project of ISU extension beef specialist Dan Loy. He is exploring the costs and advantages of feeding dried distillers grains (DDGs) as a supplement with forage or pasture based systems. Read more
6-8-09
Three new board members chosen to advise the Leopold Center in 2009
Three new members have been appointed to the advisory board for the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture in 2009. The advisory board is comprised of members who represent various institutions and agricultural interest groups. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Practical Farmers of Iowa and the State Soil Conservation Committee each named one new member in the 2009 appointments. Read more
6-3-09
Leopold Center releases glossary of climate change terms
A new glossary from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture defines terms like milankovitch cycles and eutrophication, which could become just as common in climate change discussions in the near future as carbon footprint and acid rain are now. Understanding Common Terms Used in Discussions about Climate Change and Agriculture was written by Rich Pirog, Leopold Center Associate Director and leader of the Center’s Marketing and Food Systems Initiative, and Rebecca Rasmussen, an MBA student in the ISU College of Business. Read more
5-22-09
Research grant will fund water protection research [Dordt College] Read more
5-20-09
Officials discuss expanding local food commerce [UNI Center for Energy and Environmental Education] Read more
5-13-09
Grasslands: The future of sustainable agriculture [ASA, CSSA and SSSA] Read more
5-12-09
Leopold Center seeks visiting faculty for 2010 Read more
5-6-09
USDA offers farmers assistance to transition to organic Read more
5-5-09
Iowa small meat processors and Extension help consumers slect locally raised meats [ISU Extension] Read more
4-27-09
2009 Spencer Award nominations due to Leopold Center June 1 Read more
4-23-2009
Conservation could take cue from economy: Target your investments Read more