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Rich Pirog, who leads the Center’s Marketing and Food Systems Initiative, was part of a panel that explored “Remaining Profitable in Today’s Changing Agriculture,” during the 2004-05 Leadership Iowa program. The May session focused on the “New Face of Agriculture,” and included a discussion of critical state, national and international issues facing and impacting agriculture. Leadership Iowa brings together 40 leaders from Iowa’s health care, communications, business and education sectors. Updating the 1948 USDA Yearbook of Agriculture: Grass The Wallace Genetic Foundation has awarded a $35,000 grant to the Leopold Center to coordinate a revision of the 1948 USDA Yearbook of Agriculture, Grass. The Leopold Center will coordinate an editorial committee that will be reviewing current topics, research and issues surrounding the use of grass. Kirschenmann addresses Farm Foundation Round Table Leopold Center director Fred Kirschenmann addressed
the June 16-18 Farm Foundation Round Table in
Portland, Oregon on “The National Status of
Sustainable Agriculture.” The Round Table brings
together a wide variety of agricultural and
agribusiness leaders twice a year for discussion of
public policies. Sustainable ag curriculum for high school students The first two modules of a new web-based sustainable agriculture curriculum designed for high school students have been completed. “Toward a Sustainable Agriculture” has been developed by Diane Mayerfeld of the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The curriculum includes on-line handouts, lecture notes and background information. The project has been funded by a grant from the North Central Regional Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. Leopold Center director Fred Kirschenmann is a member of the curriculum review committee. The curriculum web site is: www.cias.wisc.edu/curriculum/index.htm If you’re attending the 2005 Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, you’ll want to check out the new competitions for heirloom fruit and vegetables. The Leopold Center is sponsoring three new divisions in the horticulture and foods competitions. They include Heirloom Fruits (judging on August 11), Cooking with Heirloom Fruits and Vegetables (judging on August 14) and Heirloom Vegetables (judging on August 16). An existing competition for heirloom tomatoes is sponsored by Polk County Master Gardeners. The purpose of the competitions is to create an awareness of the variety and uniqueness of Iowa’s produce heritage. New Perspectives on Food Security Proceedings from a conference the Leopold Center
helped sponsor in November 2004 are now available.
“New Perspectives on Food Security” featured
sessions on the legal and economic issues,
environmental and public health concerns, and public
policy. The proceedings are available on the Leopold
Center web site at:
www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs/ The Leopold Center will provide $20,000 per year for three years to sponsor graduate student assistance for Iowa State University’s new animal behaviorist, Anna Johnson. A native of England, Johnson joined the ISU Animal Science Department in April. For the past three years she had been director of animal welfare for the National Pork Board in Clive, responsible for the development of the Swine Welfare Assurance Program. Her doctorate in animal science at Texas Tech University included a focus on sow and piglet behavior and welfare in both indoor and outdoor systems. The Center has been very supportive of the animal science department’s decision to fill the animal behaviorist position because any alternative animal production systems must take into account the animal’s health and well-being. Johnson is interested in talking with farmers to learn about the kinds of challenges they face related to animal behavior issues and their overall welfare in different housing situations. She can be contacted at (515) 294-2098, or by e-mail, johnsona@iastate.edu. |
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Back to Summer 2005 Leopold Letter
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