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.

These reccomendations for maintaining a healthy herd in alternative pork systems were developed by the Pork Niche Market Working Group, Practical Farmers of Iowa, the Leopold Center, and ISU Extension.

June 2007
Leopold Center Document Managing for Herd Health in Alternative Swine Systems: A Guide
Practical Farmers of Iowa and Iowa State University Extension

This report, developed for the Pork Niche Market Working Group, summarizes the results of a study of eight pork niche companies to determine opportunities for maximizing carcass utilization.

June 2007
Maximizing Carcass Utilization in Niche Pork Companies
Duane Short

Paper presented June 23, 2007 at the Ag History Society Conference in Ames, Iowa.

June 2007
Leopold Center Document Meeting the Agricultural Challenges of the 21st Century with a Little Help from Liberty Hyde Bailey
Leopold Center Distinguished Fellow Fred Kirschenmann

This document summarizes a Leopold Center Marketing Initative project (2006-M02) that looked at transaction costs incurred by Iowa-based food producers who distribute to in-state and regional markets. 

June 2007
Transaction Cost Case Studies for Six Iowa Food Producers
Clyde K. Walter, Iowa State University, Randy Boeckenstedt, Center for Transportation Research and Education, and Craig Chase, ISU Extension

This report outlines training, support and programs that could help more young people enter agriculture. The report outlines how existing programs could be targeted for beginning and new farmers, as well as suggestions for new programs, such as individual development accounts. The study was supported by the Leopold Center's Policy Initiative (P2006-09).

May 2007
Giving a Beginner a Chance in the 2007 Farm Bill
Center for Rural Affairs

These slides offer research results on cover crops.

March 2007
Environmental Benefits and Management of Small Grain Cover Crops in Corn-Soybean Rotations
Tom Kaspar, National Soil Tilth Laboratory

This is a final report for a Leopold Center Marketing Initiative grant project (M2006-12). It shows that the potential regional economic impact of organic crop production exceeds that of conventional crop production.

March 2007
Leopold Center Document Determining the Methods for Measuring the Economic and Fiscal Impacts Association with Organic Crop Conversion in Iowa
David Swenson, Liesl Eathington and Craig Chase, Iowa State University

This report, submitted to the Pork Niche Market Working Group, summarizes the results from a research project that explored collaboration opportunities among companies marketing niche pork products. The report identifies five possible areas of collaboration.

January 2007
Areas of Possible Collaboration Among Niche Pork Companies
Ann Wilkinson

Using a web-based calculator can help producers decide whether contracting with foodservice operators is a financially sound solution. This fact sheet is related to the Produce Profitability Calculator and marketing grant project 2005-M18.

December 2006
Local Food Connections: Contracting with Foodservices
Iowa State University Extension PM 1853D

This fact sheet summarizes the findings of a Leopold Center Ecology Initiative grant (2004-E08) that looked at landscape changes in the Clear Creek watershed in east central Iowa since 1940 using aerial photos and historical records.

December 2006
Clear Creek Watershed: 150 Years of Landscape Change
Andrew P. Rayburn and Lisa A. Schulte, Iowa State University