Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Leopold Notes August 2012

Notes from the Leopold Center Archive

YEAR TWO FOR NEW PROGRAM
The Local Food and Farm Initiative, or LFFI, has received a second year of funding from the Iowa legislature. Craig Chase, interim marketing program leader at the Leopold Center and ISU Extension local food specialist, will continue as LFFI coordinator, assisted by Lynn Heuss. The program will target work on food hubs, beginning farmers and farm-to-school efforts.

Read more about LFFI and its first-year report

PREPROPOSAL DEADLINE LOOMS
August 10 is the deadline for submitting preproposals to the Leopold Center for consideration in the 2013 competitive grants program. Iowa non-profits, agencies or educational institutions are invited to submit ideas for research projects, demonstrations and outreach (farmers are encouraged to participate as a partner with these organizations).

Read the Leopold Center’s Request for Pre-proposals (or RFP)

DEALING WITH DROUGHT
The Leopold Center has been involved in discussions with university researchers and educators about ways to help Iowa farmers and rural communities cope with a drought that continues to worsen throughout the Corn Belt. ISU Extension has drought information related to crops, livestock, dealing with stress, home and yard, financial concerns and tips for businesses. Also find details about meetings throughout the state.

ISU Extension Drought website

LOW-INPUT, HIGH-DIVERSITY
Results from long-running research supported by the Leopold Center are outlined in a new publication, Diversifying Corn-Soybean Rotations. The publication describes Matt Liebman’s research at the Marsden Farm in Boone County that compares conventional corn-soybean system to two alternatives, a three-year rotation that adds small grains with a red clover cover crop, and four-year rotation that adds small grains and alfalfa hay. The diversity in the rotation allows reductions in fertilizer and herbicide and uses less fossil fuel.

Details about the research and link to publication

THANKS, KAREN!
Please join us as we celebrate with Leopold Center administrative specialist Karen Jacobson. You are invited to her retirement reception on Monday, August 6 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Campanile Room of the ISU Memorial Union in Ames. Karen has guided many researchers and grant recipients through budgetary and financial waters during her past seven years of service

Event details [ISU calendar]

2012 NOURISH IOWA
The Food Access and Health Work Group and Iowa Food Systems Council are announcing a new award that recognizes individuals and organizations that are advancing a food system to eliminate hunger, increase access to nutritious food and improve the health of Iowans and Iowa communities. Deadline for nominations is September 2. The awards will be presented at work group’s fall gathering on November 16.

Nourish Iowa award [Iowa Food Systems Council website]

FIVE PRACTICES
The Natural Resources Conservation Service in Iowa offers five practices that can help farmers reduce energy consumption on their farms. Iowa farmers also can participate in an on-farm energy audit.

Find out more [Iowa NRCS website]

AGROFORESTRY HANDBOOK
The USDA has a new handbook with information to help establish, manage, and market agroforestry projects that are profitable and sustainable. Profitable Farms and Woodlands explains five agroforestry practices: alley cropping, forest farming, riparian buffer strips, silvopasture and windbreaks.

Download it free [National Agroforestry Center - University of Nebraska-Lincoln website]
 

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