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 study looked at the positive role that ecolabels could have in product promotion among consumers, and their willingness to pay 30 percent more for locally grown products with environmental attributes.

May 2004
Leopold Center Document Ecolabel Value Assessment Phase II: Consumer Perceptions of Local Foods
Rich Pirog, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, with the ISU Business Analysis Laboratory

This glossary of trucking terms and related information was prepared for the Pork Niche Market Working Group.

March 2004
LTL Trucking Terms & Process Guide
Nick Jones, Eden Natural

Consumers in Iowa and nearby metropolitan areas were surveyed about their awareness and attitudes about pastured-raised beef and dairy products and whether there were perceived health benefits.

February 2004
Leopold Center Document Consumer Perceptions of Pasture-raised Beef and Dairy Products: An Internet Consumer Study
Rich Pirog, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, with the ISU Business Analysis Laboratory

This paper, published in the International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, reports results of a study estimating the cost of externalities (impacts on natural resources, wildlife and ecosystem biodiversity and human health) in agricultural production. Implications for policy also are discussed.

January 2004
External Costs of Agricultural Production in the United States
ISU Graduate Student Erin Tegtmeier and Leopold Center Associate Director Mike Duffy

This survey of 1,600 consumers in Iowa, the Midwest and metro areas on the East and West coasts showed preference for the term locally grown and family farms.

November 2003
Leopold Center Document Ecolabel Value Assessment: Consumer and Food Business Perceptions of Local Foods
Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and ISU Business Analysis Laboratory

This executive summary, prepared for the Pork Niche Market Working Group and sponsored by Practical Farmers of Iowa, summarizes the feasibility of a producer-owned coordinated pork niche marketing approach.

October 2003
Study on Iowa-Based Differentiated Pork
Food & Livestock Planning, Inc.

On September 6-8, 2003, a selected group of scientists and participants from concerned organizations and government came together in Washington D.C. to address the needs and limitations of public plant and animal breeding, and discuss the potential for reforming public breeding and funding policy.

September 2003
Summit Proceedings: Seeds & Breeds for 21st Century Agriculture
Michael Sligh and Laura Lauffer, editors

Organic soybeans may be a very lucrative crop for Iowa farmers. Learn about the market, land preparation, planting and weed management, and the harvest and subsequent crops.

August 2003
Growing Organic Soybeans on Conservation Reserve Program Land
Kathleen Delate, Iowa State University Extension PM 1881

Building and maintaining soil quality is the basis for successful organic farming. Topics of crop rotations, soil amendments, soil health, carbon sequestration, organic agriculture philosophies, and relevant related field research are included.

August 2003
Soil Quality in Organic Agricultural Systems
Kathleen Delate, Iowa State University Extension PM 1882

Organic farmers use a wide variety of tools and strategies to control weeds without synthetic chemicals. Those tools and strategies and their effects on soil quality are discussed.

August 2003
Weed Management for Organic Farmers
Kathleen Delate, Iowa State University PM 1883