Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Leopold Notes June 2012

Notes from the Leopold Center Archive

WELCOME, DR. RASMUSSEN!
We have a new leader, Mark Rasmussen, appointed in January as director of the Leopold Center. Rasmussen began work June 1, after having served in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine in Laurel, Md. A microbiologist, he worked nearly 20 years as a scientist and research leader at the USDA National Animal Disease Center in Ames. We hope you’ll welcome Dr. Rasmussen back to ISU and Ames!

Read news release about his appointment

FIELD DAYS GALORE
If you’re aching to visit a farm, see what’s new in research, or meet others who enjoy all-things-agricultural, check out the Leopold Center web calendar. You’ll find details for all types of field days – pasture walks in northeast Iowa, demonstrations hosted by the Iowa Farm Energy Working Group, Iowa Learning Farm and Practical Farmers of Iowa field days, events at ISU Research and Demonstration Farms throughout the state, even a gathering for tinkerers called a FarmHack. Many events feature Leopold Center-supported research/demonstrations.

Check out our web calendar

DEADLINE FOR SPENCER NOMINATIONS
Nominations for the 2012 Spencer Award for Sustainable Agriculture are due Friday, June 15. This award recognizes people who have made a significant contribution to the ecological and economic stability of Iowa’s family farms and includes a $1,000 cash prize.

Get the details

WORKING GROUPS
Summer meetings for several working groups associated with the Leopold Center are in the works.  The Regional Food System Working Group will meet June 22 at the Iowa Arboretum. The Pork Niche Market Working Group’s annual meeting will be July 12 at the Iowa Pork Producers Association in Clive. The Food Access and Health Working Group has its summer gathering July 20 at the Iowa Arboretum. Check our web calendar for how to register:

PROGRESS REPORTS
2011 summaries of research conducted throughout the state are now available on the ISU Research and Demonstration Farms website. The Leopold Center supports a number of those projects.

Find reports here [ISU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences website]

COVER CROPS
The Midwest Cover Crops Council has a new online tool to help vegetable growers select the appropriate cover crop (another tool is for field crops). The Leopold Center is a collaborator in this effort.

Details here [MCCC website]

NEW RECOGNITION
Governor Branstad announced a new Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey announced a new agriculture art contest, with recipients to be honored at the Iowa State Fair.

HEALTHY FOODS
A new USDA study compares prices of healthy and less-healthy foods using three different measures. The upshot: Healthy foods cost less. The USDA also has developed a Regional Food Hub Resource Guide.

USDA food prices study [USDA Economic Research Service website]
Read about the food hub guide at this USDA Blog [USDA Blog website]

DRAGONFLY POND WATCH
You can become a Pond Watch Monitor by collecting seasonal information at a local pond or wetland about two important dragonfly populations that migrate. The new program is offered by the Xerces Society.

More about the Pond Watch Monitor program [Xerces Society website]
 

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