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Spencer Award for
Sustainable Agriculture |
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Why | How
to qualify |
What, when and questions |
Past recipients |
Spencer | Contact
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The Spencer Award
honors the beliefs, innovations and stewardship of
Norman and Margaretha Spencer, who farmed near Sioux
City for 40 years. The award was established in 2001
by an endowment from the Spencer family, and is
administered by the Leopold Center for Sustainable
Agriculture at Iowa State University. The award
includes a $1,000 cash prize. Nominations for the
2008 award are due May 15.
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To recognize significant contributions to
the advancement of ecological and economic practices that
will make agriculture sustainable and the family farm secure
for the future, and to serve as a lasting memorial to Norman
and Margaretha Spencer. They believed that it is the
obligation of each generation to leave the world a better
and healthier place for the next generation
You may apply for the award or be nominated
by others. Agricultural organizations are strongly
encouraged to submit nominations to highlight the
achievements of their members.
Nominees must have:
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Made a significant contribution that
will affect, influence and/or advance the ecological and
economic stability of mainstream family farms in the
state of Iowa;
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A record of accomplishment in research,
technical or practical advancement or education; and,
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A long-standing commitment to the
sustainability of mainstream family farms.
What to submit:
Complete the Nomination Form and return it to the Leopold
Center with two letters of support.
2008
nomination form [PDF]
2008
nomination form [Word document]
When to apply:
Nominations must be postmarked by May 15, 2008.
Questions?
Contact Mary Adams, Leopold Center for Sustainable
Agriculture, 209 Curtiss Hall, Iowa State University, Ames,
IA 50011-1050; Fax: (515) 294-9696; or e-mail (with Spencer
Award nom as subject line):
madams@iastate.edu.
Recipient of the 2007 Spencer Award is
Laura Krouse. Krouse owns and operates a 72-acre farm in
Linn County near Mount Vernon, where she also teaches
biology full-time at Cornell College. She is proprietor of a
104-yearold, open-pollinated seed corn business and Abbe
Hills Garden, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
enterprise that serves 120 families.
Recipients of the 2006 Spencer Award was
Ron Rosmann and Maria Vakulska Rosmann and their sons
David, Daniel and Mark Rosmann. The Rosmanns operate a
600-acre, diversified organic farm near Harlan in Shelby
County, Iowa. They have been leaders in sustainable
agriculture at the state, regional and national levels,
hosting visitors from all over the world at their western
Iowa farm.
Recipient of the 2005 Spencer Award was
Jerry DeWitt, an Iowa State University professor whose
30-year commitment to sustainable agriculture ranges from
the science of pest management to the art of photography to
the administrative wisdom to encourage ISU to establish the
nation's first tenured organic agriculture faculty position.
Recipients of the 2004 Spencer Award were
Dick and Sharon Thompson, who own and operate a
300-acre diverse crop and livestock farm in eastern Boone
County. In 1985, they were instrumental in forming Practical
Farmers of Iowa.
Recipients of the 2003 Spencer Award were David, Diane
and Dresden Petty of Eldora who own and operate the Iowa
River Ranch along the Iowa River in Hardin County.
Recipients of the 2002 Spencer Award were
David and Amy Petersen, who own and operate a dairy farm
near Blue Grass, Iowa.
The Spencer Award was established by a $20,000 gift to the
Iowa State University Foundation in 2001 from Robert Spencer
and Elaine Spencer. The award was created to honor the
stewardship of their parents, Norman and Margaretha Geiger
Spencer, who farmed for 40 years near Sioux City in Woodbuy
County.
Norman Spencer graduated from Iowa State
University in 1940 with a degree in agricultural
engineering. Margaretha Geiger Spencer received a degree
from Iowa State in household equipment in 1944.
Both of their children also received ISU degrees. Robert
earned his doctorate of veterinary medicine in 1971; Elaine
earned a degree in food and nutrition in 1971 and a degree
from Yale Law School in 1976. Elaine practices law in
Seattle and Robert is a veterinarian in La Crosse.
Inquiries should be directed to Mary Adams, Leopold Center
for Sustainable Agriculture, 209 Curtiss Hall, Iowa State
University, Ames, IA 50011-1050; Fax:
(515) 294-9696; or e-mail (with Spencer Award nom as subject
line):
madams@iastate.edu
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