Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Pubs & Papers

Research can take many forms and lead to many different outcomes. The ultimate goal is sustainability – for the landscape, Iowa’s people and natural resources. Below is a list of intermediate outcomes of Leopold Center-supported projects, partnerships and activities. Included are extension publications, in-house research projects, informative presentations and other reports – all with some link to the Leopold Center.

All Pubs & Papers are PDFs, which require a free Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click on the image or title to view the PDF.

Leopold Center Document These materials were written, reviewed or presented by Leopold Center staff. All other materials are related or based on projects supported by the Leopold Center.

Pub & Papers here are sorted by date with the newest at the top. You can filter the list by selecting a topic area below and clicking "Apply." To see all again you can select "<Any>" as the topic, or click here. There is also an alphabetical listing available.

This preliminary report to the Iowa legislature describes the activities of the Local Food and Farm Program from September 2011 to mid-January 2012. The program seeks to promote local foods and increase farmer profitability in Iowa. Learn more here.

January 2012
Leopold Center Document Local Food and Farm Program Preliminary Report
Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

This tri-fold brochure describes the LTAR experiment, a side-by-side comparison of organic and conventional systems using identical crop varieties that began in 1998. 

November 2011
Leopold Center Document The Long-Term Agroecological Research (LTAR) Experiment
Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

This 24-page manual, adapted from GROWN Locally, helps local food cooperatives improve their handling practices and meet food safety standards. Read news release.

October 2011
Leopold Center Document Grower's Manual: A Template for Grower Cooperatives
Joanna Hamilton, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, and GROWN Locally

Kirschenmann outlines several shifts that will need to take place – and the opportunities they present – in a future of more people and fewer natural resources. The paper was prepared for presentation and discussion at a September 2011 gathering in Mountain Sky, Montana.

October 2011
Leopold Center Document Seeking What Works at What Scale
Leopold Center Distinguished Fellow Fred Kirschenmann

This fact sheet explains how woodchip bioreactors reduce nitrate in subsurface drainage systems. It includes tips on how to install and use bioreactors, their positive and negative impacts, and their costs.
 

October 2011
Woodchip Bioreactors for Nitrate in Agricultural Drainage
Laura Christianson and Matthew Helmers, Iowa State University Extension PMR 1008

This four-page color fact sheet offers basic guidelines for planting and maintaining prairie conservation strips on row-cropped farms. The recommendations are based on research conducted by the STRIPs Research Team at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge.

September 2011
Leopold Center Document A Landowner's Guide to Prairie Conservation Strips
Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

A survey of Iowa producers, agricultural lenders and crop insurance agents showed a need for ongoing education about "sustainable agriculture" and its benefits, and policy changes in the 2012 Farm Bill. Read news release

August 2011
Leopold Center Document Credit, Crop Insurance and Sustainable Agriculture in Iowa
Center for Rural Affairs and Iowa Farmers Union

This is a directory of organizations, programs, funders and consultants that offer various forms of assistance for Iowa producers, processors, food retailers and communities interested in local and regional food systems.

May 2011
Leopold Center Document Learning about Local: A Resource Guide to Iowa Organizations and Programs Supporting Local and Regional Food Systems
Rich Pirog, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, and Mary Claire Geyer, ISU College of Agriculture

This study looks at the productivity and regional economic impacts of Iowa's small meat processors and the potential gains for rural communities if these processors could expand to fill markets for niche products.

April 2011
Leopold Center Document Exploring Small-Scale Meat Processing Expansions in Iowa
Dave Swenson, ISU Department of Economics

This study looks at the number of jobs that would be created and acres needed for Iowa farmers to provide more fresh fruit for Iowa's nine metropolitan areas (populations over 50,000).

April 2011
Leopold Center Document Measuring the Economic Impacts of Increased Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Production in Iowa Considering Metropolitan Demand
Dave Swenson, ISU Department of Economics