Center awards $404,000 to new projects, renews 29

The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture recently awarded $956,000 in its 12th annual round of competitive grants for research, education and demonstration projects. Center Director Dennis Keeney and the Leopold Center Advisory Board approved funds for 19 new projects and 29 existing projects that were renewed for a second or third year. The funding begins July 1; annual awards range from $3,385 to $35,000.

The Center's competitive grants program gives Iowans who are associated with educational institutions and nonprofit organizations an opportunity to build partnerships in education, demonstration and research efforts that will help move the state toward a sustainable agricultural system. The 48 projects active in 1999-2000 will cover a wide range of topics including swine carcass composting, foxtail weed control, local food systems, and organic soybeans in CRP land.

Since its inception in 1987, the Leopold Center has awarded more than $9 million in 206 competitive grants throughout the state.

Active projects for 1999-2000 are reviewed elsewhere on these pages. Go to the newsletter index to access these summaries.