Diversity is important, whether planning next year's crops or the future of agriculture.

Paul Mugge (right) and Lance Gibson explain their research at an August 25 field day.

O'Brien County naturalist Charlene Elyea leads people on a tour of the Hannibal Waterman Wildlife Area and shares a history of the region.

Karen Mugge shows the cake that honors the Center's past 20 years.

That's the message heard by more than 50 people who attended a special Practical Farmers of Iowa field day August 25 in O'Brien County. In addition to homemade cake and ice cream marking the Center's 20th anniversary, field day participants toured Paul and Karen Mugge's farm west of Sutherland in the morning, then moved to the Prairie Heritage Center for lunch and an afternoon discussion about future agricultural research needed in the region.

Paul Mugge is a longtime PFI member and outgoing chair of the Leopold Center advisory board. His current PFI on-farm research looks at fall-planted triticale and various strategies for growing organic flax. He also raises hogs and grows organic soybeans for the Japanese tofu market.

Dordt College agriculture professor Ron Voss also shared his experience as a member of the Center's Manure Management Team from 1990 to 1995. Voss said he recalled the Center's early research on nitrogen management, primarily the late-spring soil nitrate test developed by the late Fred Blackmer at ISU.

"I came to Iowa in 1985 at the height of the farm depression and people were asking lots of questions," Voss said. "I wanted to talk about stewardship and sustainability and it was a lonely feeling until the Leopold Center came along."

Also offering their comments were Kathleen Delate who leads the ISU organic research program; Drake University Law Center director Neil Hamilton; PFI executive director Teresa Opheim; Rob Marquesee, Woodbury County; Mary Holz-Clause, ISU Extension; Dave Osterberg, University of Iowa professor and an author of the legislation that established the Leopold Center; and ISU Wallace Chair for Sustainable Agriculture Matt Liebman.

Liebman, who came to ISU from Maine in 1998, said he's learned from PFI farmers, the Leopold Center and studying the life of Iowa native Henry A. Wallace in the 1920s, 30s and 40s.

"Wallace had great concerns about the general welfare of farmers and rural residents and came through an era of hardship that had seen tremendous resource degradation and human misery, challenges that might seem overwhelming," Liebman said.

"In spite of the difficulties, he stood up with his colleagues and came up with a plan to get the job done. Iowa has many strengths to draw upon, not the least of which are the successes of the Leopold Center and PFI, to meet the challenges we face today in agriculture," he said.