MEETING HIGHLIGHTS: Summer field days and Pesek Colloquium

Summer time means field days

Sustainable farming practices and Leopold Center-funded projects will be highlighted during field days hosted by Iowa State University's Research and Demonstration Farms and Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI).

PFI Field Days

PFI has scheduled 13 field days and community days. The on-farm demonstrations will be held throughout the state through mid-September. Producers at the sites will demonstrate on-farm research and answer queries about pigs in hoop houses, weeds, organic farming and alternative crops. The Leopold Center supports PFI's on-farm research program. For dates, check the PFI web page at: www.pfi.iastate.edu (look under What's New).

ISU Field Days

A variety of topics related to crops and livestock will be covered at 14 field days through September. Three specialty field days, all on July 2, include a 9:30 a.m. forage tour at the Northwest farm near Cherokee, a native grass day from 6-9 p.m. at the Southeast farm near Crawfordsville, and a 6:30 p.m. weed tour at the Northern farm near Kanawha. Garden and acreage field days will begin Aug. 1. For more information, check with your local ISU Extension office or go to the web: www.ag.iastate.edu/farms/fielddays.html.

Pesek Colloquium

Globalization has confused many of the issues relating to hunger and sustainable agriculture, and it may be time to see where past policies are leading, Atlantic farmer Denise O'Brien (at podium) told about 150 people who attended the Pesek Colloquium on Sustainable Agriculture. The March 27 town meeting at Atlantic brought together panelists to discuss ideas presented by guest lecturer Per Pinstrup Andersen, winner of the 2001 World Food Prize. Panelists (left to right) included Dave Williams, Villisca; Neil Hamilton, Drake University; and Catherine Woteki, Iowa State University. The Leopold Center was a sponsor of the two-day event coordinated by the Henry A. Wallace Endowed Chair for Sustainable Agriculture at ISU.