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The Iowa-grown food was as bounteous as the good will and optimism for the future of sustainable agriculture when 180 people gathered at Hotel Fort Des Moines Oct. 21 to celebrate the work of the Leopold Center.

The dinner was the first official event of a fundraising campaign to benefit the Center. It was organized by the National Catholic Rural Life Conference (NCRLC) and supported by more than a dozen organizations. NCRLC director Brother David Andrews presented the Leopold Center with the first Annual International Local Food Prize to recognize leadership in sustainable agriculture research and on developing models for food self-sufficiency.

The event featured a social hour with music by Des Moines harpist Pat Boddy. Nan Bonfils and Don Adams of Full Circle Farm in Madrid created table centerpieces from natural materials, and a number of Iowa farmers donated food for the event. Among the political supporters present were Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell, and former state legislator David Osterberg who wrote the founding legislation for the Center. Ames farmer Joe Lynch became the first official member of the new "Friends of the Leopold Center" group for people who contribute $1,000 or more to the Center. Lynch suggested the idea to the Leopold Center several months ago.