The Leopold Center is a partner with Iowa State University, the University of Maine and Michigan State University in a new USDA-CSREES Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems (IFAFS) grant to study the opportunities for reintegrating crop and livestock systems in agriculture. The goal of the project is to assist farmers in Iowa, Michigan and Maine in developing and adopting integrated crop and livestock farming systems that reduce costs, improve environmental quality, increase market opportunities and increase profits for small and midsize family farms. Project work will be conducted on both commercial farms and university facilities. Other Iowa partners are the USDA National Soil Tilth Laboratory, Practical Farmers of Iowa and ISU's departments of agricultural and biosystems engineering, agronomy, economics and sociology.

A Waterloo restaurant has been buying a majority of its meat and produce locally after being involved in a food system project funded by the Leopold Center. From 1998 through 2000, Rudy's Tacos purchased nearly $350,000 of chicken, beef, pork, onions, peppers, tomatoes, cheese, tortillas, beer and black beans from local producers. When asked why, the owner listed four reasons: superior quality and freshness, desire to support local farms and other locally owned businesses, the sense of community that comes from working with local farmers, and the importance of knowing where food comes from and how it is grown.

A new 16-page color bulletin offers ideas to farmers who want to successfully produce pork on a small scale and preserve their independence in the face of the consolidating hog industry. Profitable Pork: Alternative strategies for hog producers, published by the USDA's Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN). The bulletin explores raising swine in deep-straw bedding, hoop structures and in pastures.

Dick and Sharon Thompson of Boone are among the 48 U.S. farmers profiled in a new CD-ROM, book and web site, The New American Farmer: Profiles of Agricultural Innovation, produced by the USDA's Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) program. It is available for $10 from Sustainable Agriculture Publications, 210 Hills Building, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, (802) 65600484.

The Leopold Center is working with several organizations to host meetings in February in several Iowa communities. The purpose is to understand urban and suburban concerns on environmental and agricultural issues, and explore ways that the Leopold Center can work more creatively with these audiences. Local partners will help coordinate events. Watch the Leopold Center's web site and area newspapers for dates and locations. These events continue the Center's "community conversations" about a new vision for Iowa agriculture. All events are sponsored by a grant from the Cavaliere Foundation, located in Madison, Wisconsin.