Grant helps Leopold Center continue vision work

The Leopold Center's look at the future of agriculture is taking a concrete turn with recent new developments.

The Center has received a $30,000 grant from the Cavaliere Foundation to help Iowans develop a dynamic vision for agriculture and the Center's role in that future. The grant will be used to host several "listening sessions" throughout Iowa, and to engage people from a variety of groups in those discussions.

More information about the listening sessions will be announced in the near future. The Wisconsin-based Cavaliere Foundation was recently created to promote the preservation and conservation of the nation's ecological health.

"The environmental, social, ethical and spiritual issues facing agriculture are enormous," said Leopold Center director Fred Kirschenmann. "Without a clear vision that once again transforms agriculture to a public good, we could well see the demise of agriculture and the end of farms, farmers and rural communities as we have known them."

Kirschenmann said the discussion in the sustainable agriculture community about these issues must first address core values. Such a discussion also must restore respect and an awareness of interdependency among producers and consumers in the food system.

Center programs also are being examined as part of the visioning effort. At their September meeting, members of the Leopold Center Advisory Board agreed that a portion of the funds normally awarded to competitive research grant projects should be reserved for future projects that work toward a new vision. The Center received 70 preproposals for competitive grant projects. The Board recommended 18 preproposals for full consideration, and five preproposals are receiving further attention from Center staff.

Center staff and board members also are reviewing responses to a survey about outreach and the Center's conference and workshop program.