Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Workshops offered for writing small-farm, rural energy grants

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:27:33 -0600

Workshops on writing grants for the USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) will be offered in several Iowa locations in early 2010 for farmers with small to mid-sized operations and owners of rural “main street” businesses. To participate, send an e-mail to Dana at richd@ncat.org. Read more at: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/newsreleases/2009/112009_REAPenergy.html

Leopold Center project studies alternative bioimass crop systems

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:24:32 -0600

Wouldn't it be great to produce energy, food and feed in Iowa with cropping systems that are profitable for farmers, protect our soil and water and help rural communities? A team of Iowa State University researchers is imagining that future right now in a long-term project supported by the Ecology Initiative of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. They are studying a suite of cropping systems that incorporates high-yielding biomass forages such as triticale and sorghum into corn-soybean row crops, plus hybrid aspen trees for long-term biomass yield. The goal is to find combinations of crops that protect soil and water most effectively, can be used for production of renewable energy, and are profitable for farmers to produce.

News release: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/newsreleases/2009/112009_biomass.html

Watch four videos about various aspects of this project: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/research/eco_files/ground.html

Iowa Organic Conference December 4-5 marks ninth year

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:20:12 -0600

The keynote presentation at the ninth annual Iowa Organic Conference has special significance for Iowa State University’s Organic Program. The featured speaker will be Jerry DeWitt, whose work at ISU helped establish the nation’s first organic research program at a land grant university more than a dozen years ago. DeWitt, who now directs the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, will present “Lessons from Farmers in the Field,” at the program’s annual conference December 4-5 at the Scheman Building in Ames. His presentation will include photographs he has taken at numerous organic and sustainable farms throughout the world. Conference web site http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/organic09/home.html

Leopold Center Web use survey now available

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:41:11 -0600

The Leopold Center is collecting opinions that will be used to design a more useful Web site. Visitors to the Leopold Center Web site are asked to take a very short survey at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=1y9tIB12Au3_2bwBSG7Ak0bQ_3d_3d

View materials from Keeney Distinguished Lecture featuring LSU oceanographer Gene Turner

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:28:09 -0600

Nearly 300 people attended the Keeney Distinguished Lecture on November 12, "Mississippi River Water Quality: Policy, Farm Landscapes and Hypoxia," presented by Gene Turner, Distinguished Research Master and Louisiana State University. View a PDF of his slides (file is 4.8 MB in size): http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/pastevents/turner/111209_turner.pdf

A video of Turner's presentation will be available soon.

Get Leopold Center videos from iTunes

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:48:13 -0600

Here's another way to get the Leopold Center's popular "On the Ground" video series. Go to the Iowa State channel at iTunes and look for the Leopold Center where you can download this video series about research supported by the Leopold Center's Ecology Initiative: http://www.itunes.iastate.edu/public/login.php

Find the Leopold Center on YouTube

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:42:28 -0600

Find "On the Ground with the Leopold Center," a series of videos about research supported by the Ecology Initiative at the Leopold Center. What are they studying? How does it relate to sustainability? What benefits could come to Iowans, farmers and nonfarmers alike, as a result of this work? Go to Iowa State University's YouTube channel, IowaStateU, and look for "Leopold Center" in the Playlists: http://www.youtube.com/user/iowastateu

Join the Leopold Center on Facebook

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:38:25 -0600

If you have a Facebook account, you'll want to become a fan of the Leopold Center! Look for Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture or go to: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Leopold-Center-for-Sustainable-Agriculture/110100877325?ref=nf to see photos, news about events, videos and more.

DeWitt receives Carver award for service

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 12:50:20 -0600

Leopold Center Director Jerry DeWitt recently received the George Washington Carver Distinguished Service Award from the ISU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The award was established to honor Iowa State University alumni and friends for outstanding achievements in the agricultural, food, environmental, social and life sciences.

DeWitt has been an Iowa State faculty member since 1972 and is a leader in sustainable agriculture at the state, regional and national levels. His 30-year commitment to sustainable agriculture research led to establishing the first tenured organic agriculture faculty position at Iowa State and at a land grant university. He has served as ISU Extension’s state sustainable agriculture coordinator since 1994. In 2005, he became the director of the Leopold Center.

Ideas sought for grass-based livestock projects

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 12:48:23 -0600

The Grass-Based Livestock Working Group (GBLWG) is seeking ideas for research and demonstration projects that will boost the viability of the grass-based livestock industry in Iowa. The group hopes to award three to five grants totaling $21,000 with funds from the Leopold Center. Proposals for 2010 research and development projects are due December 3. Details and forms are on the group’s Web site at: www.valuechains.org/livestock/grants.htm Or read the news release at: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/newsreleases/2009/110909_grassbased.html

Grazing management for water quality protection

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 14:20:06 -0600

ISU scientists Tom Isenhart and Jim Russell discuss their Leopold Center-funded research on grazing and water quality in this on-line seminar. More details in these publications:
Managing pasture water: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/research/eco_files/offstreamwater.pdf

Streamside buffers: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/research/eco_files/streamsidebuffers.pdf

Stabilized access: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/research/eco_files/stabilizedstream.pdf

November Notes from the Leopold Center

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 17:29:41 -0600

Read about current happenings in the latest issue of Notes from the Leopold Center. Learn about the November 12 presentation on hypoxia, our 2009 Spencer Award winners, farm-to-ISU research grants available, a conservation forum in January, fall webinar series and published work by Leopold Center Distinguished Fellow Fred Kirschenmann. View as PDF

Energy demonstration grants awarded to three Iowa farmers

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 17:27:17 -0600

The Iowa Farm Energy Working Group has awarded $5,000 grants to three farmers with small to mid-sized operations to demonstrate how they can meet their energy needs through energy efficiency or the use of renewable sources on their farms. The University of Northern Iowa Center for Energy and Environmental Education (CEEE) facilitates the working group, which is funded by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. Read the news release. Go to the Iowa Farm Energy Working Group web site.

Farm partners sought for ISU on-farm research

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:08:04 -0500

Iowa State University seeks ideas and proposals for a unique program pairing farmers with Iowa State University researchers to work on topics related to conservation and sustainability. Proposals are due on December 16, 2009 for the 2010 ISU On-Farm Research and Demonstration Grant Program, a partnership of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Practical Farmers of Iowa. All ISU faculty, staff and students are eligible to apply. The 2010 Request for Proposals [PDF] is on the Leopold Center Web site. For more information about the Request for Proposals, contact Leopold Center Director Jerry DeWitt. Sarah Carlson at Practical Farmers of Iowa can answer questions about on-farm design and implementation.

LSU oceanographer to discuss farm-to-Mississippi Gulf impact November 12

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:37:26 -0500

One of the scientists who has measured the size and researched the science of the oxygen-deprived “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico every year since 1985 will share his findings at Iowa State University on November 12.

R. Eugene Turner, Distinguished Research Master at Louisiana State University, will speak on “Mississippi River Water Quality: Policy, Farm Landscapes and Hypoxia.” His Iowa appearance is part of the 2009 Dennis Keeney Distinguished Lecture Series at ISU. The lecture will begin at 8 p.m. in the Sun Room of the ISU Memorial Union in Ames with a reception at 7 p.m. in the South Ballroom. More details

Fairfield dairy couple win 2009 Spencer Award for Sustainable Agriculture

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:59:07 -0500

Francis and Susan Thicke, whose Radiance Farm organic dairy products are marketed in the Fairfield area, have earned this year’s Spencer Award for Sustainable Agriculture. The couple’s commitment to resource conservation, successful grazing management, and economically profitable dairy production led to their selection for one of Iowa’s largest awards in sustainable agriculture. News release about award.

Photo gallery about Radiance Dairy

Deputy Secretary Merrigan shows new face of the USDA

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:19:10 -0500

The garden on the White House lawn is producing more than vegetables, says President Obama’s deputy secretary of agriculture Kathleen Merrigan. It’s a sign of high-level support for the many changes in the U.S. Department of Agriculture to build stronger connections with our food and farmers, ways to help young people enter agriculture, and add more funds for local and regional food systems.

Merrigan presented a recent lecture at Iowa State as a guest of the Leopold Center. Read news release. Listen to podcast [click on "Download Audio"].

Renewable and relevant: Fall 2009 Leopold Letter now available

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:17:14 -0500

The Fall 2009 issue of The Leopold Letter provides an overview of Leopold Center support for a number of renewable and alternative energy research projects. The relevance of Leopold Center work also is a discussion topic for Director Jerry DeWitt, while Distinguished Fellow Fred Kirschenmann tackles affording agriculture in an energy- and climate-challenged future.

Other features: A trip to a grass-based dairy owned by recipients of this year’s Spencer Award for Sustainable Agriculture, research on how to use ethanol co-products in forage systems, sustainable weed management for Iowa vineyards, a workshop that shines a national spotlight on the Leopold Center and its partners, an update on the director search, a look at the bioeconomy core issue, and lots of upcoming events.

Or read a printable version [PDF] of the quarterly newsletter.

Watch seminars presented by candidates for Leopold Center director

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:51:11 -0500

Watch public presentations by four people who are vying to be the next director at the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. Each candidate was asked to present their vision for the future of the Leopold Center and how their experiences can contribute to them. Links to videos of each seminar

Biodiversity is topic for Pesek Colloquium October 27-28

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:27:32 -0500

The ninth John Pesek Colloquium on Sustainable Agriculture, which honors a retired Iowa State University agronomy professor, will be Oct. 27-28. Shahid Naeem, professor of ecology and chair of the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology at Columbia University, will be the featured speaker at two events - one at Iowa State University and one at Grinnell College. The Leopold Center is a co-sponsor of the event. News release from ISU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Obama's Deputy Secretary of Agriculture at ISU to discuss what's ahead for farmers

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:25:52 -0500

One of the top players in the U.S. Department of Agriculture will visit Iowa State University October 20 to talk about her vision for the nation's farming and food sectors. U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan, a longtime advocate of sustainable and organic agriculture, will talk about her initiatives in the USDA, where she is second in command. Her visit is co-sponsored by the Leopold Center. Read ISU News Service release.

Listen to Ricard Heinberg lecture via podcast

Tue, 6 Oct 2009 09:40:36 -0500

Richard Heinberg's lecture, Toward a Post Carbon Food System, is now available via podcast. The Leopold Center was a sponsor for his visit to Iowa in September.

October Notes from the Leopold Center

Fri, 2 Oct 2009 10:54:13 -0500

Read about current happenings in the latest issue of Notes from the Leopold Center. Coming up are lectures by a climate change expert, Kathleen Merrigan at the USDA, ecologist Shahid Naeem on biodiversity, and a look at hypoxia in the Gulf from the perspective of a Louisiana scientist. View as PDF

Best management practices for dairy grazing

Thu, 1 Oct 2009 13:22:25 -0500

Iowa State University Extension dairy specialist Larry Tranel outlines some of the basics for a grassfed dairy operation. Tranel has been working with the Leopold Center to increase the number of grass-based dairy farms in Iowa, especially beginning farmers and farmers interested in organic production methods. This URL links to a multi-media presentation on Adobe Connect.

Study shows how local foods could bring jobs to southeast Iowa

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:56:08 -0500

Small changes can bring modest improvements in a regional economy, at least when it comes to local foods. That’s what the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture found in a new economic analysis conducted for six counties in southeast Iowa. ISU economist David Swenson examined several scenarios for increased local food production, processing and consumption in Davis, Jefferson, Keokuk, Mahaska, Van Buren and Wapello counties, finding that the region could benefit from 50 to 75 additional jobs. Read the report.

Getting your food locally: One Step at a Time Gardens

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:58:57 -0500

What goes into producing local food? What are the opportunities for young people? How is the landscape changing in Iowa around local food production? Meet Jan Libbey for an inside look at One Step at a Time Gardens in Hancock County. Leopold Center communications assistant Allison Severson produced this photo gallery and audio interview throughout the 2009 growing season.

Go to the gallery.

View other photo galleries at the Leopold Center.

More about Leopold Center director candidates

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:41:01 -0500

Brief backgrounders are now available about the four candidates for the new director at the Leopold Center. The public is invited to a public seminar presented by each candidate, which will be broadcast live via the Web and archived on the Leopold Center Web site. Details are at: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/candidates.html More about the process here.

Iowa State organic program launches water quality project with $600,000 grant

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:43:02 -0500

When research plots at Iowa State University’s Neely-Kinyon Farm in Adair County were established more than a decade ago, one of the first concerns was whether organic production could match yields from conventional methods. In fact, a variety of organic crops from the side-by-side comparisons equal or exceed their conventional counterparts and soil quality improvements also have been noted. Researchers will tackle another important question: how does organic production affect water quality? The ISU Organic Program has received a $599,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to set up a water quality monitoring project of organic and conventional plots in Story and Greene counties. Read more about this new project.

Field day addresses issues every producer faces

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:26:43 -0500

A September 23 Fall Field Day at the Iowa State McNay Memorial Research Farm in Lucas County will address topics to help producers handle common problems they see this time of year including feeding co-products to extend grass and improve performance, renovating fescue pastures, reducing hay feeding waste, and storing wet distillers grains to extend feed usage. Several of the topics include research funded by the Leopold Center. Event flier [PDF]

Perennial prairies and row crops can work well together

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:28:08 -0500

The old cliché ‘Can we have our cake and eat it too?’ was the focus of a recent field day at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge near Prairie City. With the help of biologists at the Refuge, researchers are working together to test many aspects of a unique system that integrates perennials into row-crop fields by planting prairie strips on 10 to 20 percent of the area in each subwatershed. Read more about this field day hosted by the Leopold Center and the Iowa Learning Farm. View photo gallery or download high-resolution photos.

Post Carbon Institute's Richard Heinberg to speak September 24

Wed, 9 Sep 2009 16:40:11 -0500

Richard Heinberg, a leading author on oil depletion and a post carbon world, will keynote Iowa State University's Live Green! Sustainability Series. Heinberg's lecture, "Toward a Post Carbon Food System," will be at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24 in the Memorial Union Sun Room. Heinberg's lecture at Iowa State is also part of the National Affairs Series and is cosponsored by the Leopold Center.

Four finalists named in Leopold Center director search

Wed, 9 Sep 2009 09:49:06 -0500

Four finalists have been named in the search for a new director to lead the Leopold Center. They are Heather Karsten, Pennsylvania State University; Frank Louws, North Carolina State University; Ricardo Salvador, W.K. Kellogg Foundation; and David Wedin, University of Nebraska. Campus interviews are scheduled beginning September 28. Read more

September Notes from the Leopold Center

Wed, 9 Sep 2009 09:28:46 -0500

Read about current happenings in the latest issue of Notes from the Leopold Center. Topics in this month's issue include details of another Farmscape production and a national conference for local food system workers, new resources from the Leopold Center, links to a two-part report about local food and news about the Leopold Center's Facebook pages. View as PDF

Farmscape coming to Ames September 13

Thu, 3 Sep 2009 10:24:45 -0500

Farmscape, a docudrama about the changing rural environment, will be coming to Ames City Auditorium on Sunday, September 13 as part of central Iowa’s 11 Days of Global Unity. It was created by ISU professor and Iowa Poet Laureate Mary Swander and her Fall 2007 English class. This performance will feature a celebrity cast including Leopold Center Distinguished Fellow Fred Kirschenmann. More in the event flier [PDF]

Leopold Center project looks at extending corn-soybean rotation

Thu, 3 Sep 2009 10:21:47 -0500

The farm of the future needs to protect soil and water resources while producing enough food for people, feed for livestock and income for farm operators. Finding a farming system that meets all those requirements is the goal of a long-term project initiated by the Ecology Initiative of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. The system relies on less external inputs and is showing higher yields. Watch a web video

Handle with Care: Postharvest handling, food safety

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:43:46 -0500

The Rodale Institute features the work of the Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Working Group on its web site. Malcolm Robertson of the Leopold Center reported on two recent postharvest handling workshops, with photos by Leopold Center Director Jerry DeWitt.

The Next 50 Years: An agricultural agenda for the U.S. and Russia

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:24:31 -0500

Read a speech by the Land Institute's Wes Jackson outlining a 50-year plan to create a different kind of agriculture for the future that will address climate change and rising energy costs. Jackson spoke at the 'Khrushchev in Iowa' festivities August 29 at the Whiterock Conservancy in Coon Rapids. "The Next 50 Years: US-Russia Cooperation on Perennializing the Major Crops with the Ecosystem as the Conceptual Tool" [PDF] Leopold Center Distinguished Fellow is president of the nonprofit land trust, set up in 2004 by the Garst family.

New Leopold Center FAQ answers questions about selling local food

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:12:30 -0500

The popularity of farmers markets in Iowa also means more questions from people who want to sell their products via an expanding array of direct markets. Do I need a license to sell sweet corn or my home-made jam? Do I have to package my products? Do I need to worry about sales tax? A new resource from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture aims to help answer some of those questions.

Late-season management of corn, soybean and conservation at September 2 Iowa Learning Farm/ Leopold Center field day

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:27:16 -0500

Small prairie strips growing at key points in corn and soybean fields at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge are yielding more than good crops; they’re improving soil and water quality as well as creating beneficial habitat for insects and birds. Research exploring this unique system that incorporates perennials into working landscapes will be highlighted at a field day on Wednesday, September 2 hosted by the Iowa Learning Farm and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. View field day flier.

Leopold Center publishes local food resource directory

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:07:22 -0500

A growing number of organizations are supporting local food efforts in Iowa, and a new publication from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture can help you contact them. “Learning about Local: A Resource Guide to Iowa Organizations and Programs Supporting Local and Regional Food Systems” lists 64 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. Go to the directory [PDF].

Fruit and Vegetable Working Group 2009 Field Days

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:42:45 -0500

The Fruit and Vegetable Working Group planned two field days focusing on postharvest handling, one at Chris Blanchard's Rock Spring Farm in Decorah and another at Norine and Duane Black's Heritage Farm near Ames. Listen to tips offered at the workshop and see photos from these two workshops. Go to the Leopold Center photo gallery. The group also worked with Blanchard to develop a new Postharvest Handling Decision Tool. Check it out at the Value Chain Partnerships web site.

August Notes from the Leopold Center

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:13:17 -0500

Read about current happenings in the latest issue of Notes from the Leopold Center. Topics in this month's issue include details of the September 4 Tri-State Local Foods Conference in Fairfield and September 24 lecture by peak oil expert Richard Heinberg, a new postharvest handling tool and green wine, . View as PDF

High tunnel production workshops offered by ISU Extension

Wed, 5 Aug 2009 16:55:41 -0500

If you are a current commercial fruit or vegetable grower, a gardener with an interest in expanding into commercial production, or a traditional farmer interested in diversifying, you may want to learn more about high tunnel production in a workshop sponsored by Iowa State University Extension and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. Two, 7-hour, in-depth workshops are being offered this fall and winter. Read ISU Extension news release.

Leopold Center research sets stage for advances in Iowa wine, grape industries

Wed, 5 Aug 2009 10:28:21 -0500

In addition to supporting current research on alternative weed management for Iowa vineyards, the Leopold Center has made numerous investments in the future success of the state’s grape and wine industries. The most recent is establishment of the first American Viticulture Region (or AVA) in Iowa that was recently approved by federal regulators. The new region includes 18 counties in Iowa and is the largest in the United States. See a summary of the project that set the stage for this new designation [PDF].

Leopold Center project looks at weed control in vineyards

Wed, 5 Aug 2009 10:26:24 -0500

Not only do Iowa vineyards produce great wine, but in the future, Iowa-grown grapes may be among the most sustainably grown in the country. The question is: how can Iowa grape growers reduce their chemical use and control weeds while still producing high yields and high-quality fruit? Iowa State University horticulture professor Gail Nonnecke is researching sustainable solutions to this problem. The latest grape-growing project funded by the Leopold Center looks at weed control alternatives to herbicides and pesticides in Iowa vineyards. Watch a web video.

Hands-on experience, on-line tool give farmers new perspective on produce

Mon, 3 Aug 2009 17:04:40 -0500

Down to the rubber gloves they wore and the carrots they doused with water, Iowa produce farmers and others who attended recent workshops in Decorah and Ames got a first-hand look at postharvest handling practices that help ensure the safety and freshness of locally-grown fruit and vegetables. The Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Working Group also introduced a new on-line Postharvest Handling Decision Tool for producers.

Leopold and the Land: Summer 2009 Leopold Letter now available

Mon, 3 Aug 2009 11:51:24 -0500

The Summer 2009 issue of The Leopold Letter, announces a new land tenure project and partnership with Drake University, a new study on edge-of-field treatments to keep the land and water healthy, and recollections from a visit to the desert wilderness that informed Aldo Leopold’s early ideas about the land. Director Jerry DeWitt also talks about how we’re seeing the land - and agriculture - in new ways. Also read Distinguished Fellow Fred Kirschenmann's cautionary counsel about the dangers of too much certainty.

Other features: Lessons from a successful program in Pottawattamie County that links local food with local government, ways that Iowa produce growers can use high tunnels to extend their season and make money, new research summaries of Leopold Center work, the 2009 RFP, a new book about grass and commentary on the Center’s Livestock and Diversity core issue.

Or read a printable version [PDF] of the quarterly newsletter.

2009 Leopold Center research results released

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:29:16 -0500

The key findings and lessons learned from 20 recent Iowa-based research projects are now on the Leopold Center's Research Results Web page . New one-page project synopses of the research results are posted at that site, along with the traditional long summaries for each recently completed project. On-line-only publication of these reports replaces the paper version of the Center Progress Report, which had been issued annually since 1992.

Leopold Center project evaluates denitrifying bioreactors

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:03:44 -0500

Iowa farmers could have another practice in their nitrogen management toolbox if research sponsored by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture produces positive results. The Leopold Center’s Ecology Initiative is supporting a new study to test how well bioreactors remove nitrates from the water that comes from tile-drained fields. Alok Bhandari, an associate professor in the Iowa State University Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, is leading the multi-year project. Watch a video about this project.

Conservation initiative group offers August grazing conference

Tue, 7 Jul 2009 17:17:23 -0500

The Leopold Center is among the co-sponsors of an August 25-26 workshop, Optimizing Grazing and Enhancing the Environment, to be held at the Honey Creek Resort on Rathbun Lake near Moravia. The event is planned by the Iowa Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative and the Iowa Forage and Grasslands Council. Among the topics are results from Leopold Center-funded research. View event flier [PDF]

Biomass energy: What's practical, what's possible?

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 15:02:17 -0500

Join Practical Farmers of Iowa at the Biomass Energy Conversion (BECON) Facility in Nevada on Tuesday, July 14 at 2 p.m. to learn more about biomass energy as an alternative energy option. The Leopold Center’s new Farm Energy Working Group also will hold a meeting at the BECON facility before the field day, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

July Notes from the Leopold Center

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:58:49 -0500

Read about current happenings in the latest issue of Notes from the Leopold Center. Topics in this month's issue include details of a new partnership with Drake University Ag Law Center, the Leopold Center's 2009 Request for Pre-proposals, a new Farm Energy Working Group, photos from Whiterock Conservancy, and a meat-buying guide for consumers. View as PDF

Postharvest handling of vegetables highlighted at July workshops

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:02:43 -0500

Two upcoming workshops will highlight postharvest handling of vegetables, wholesale sales and preparing produce for market, practices that can ensure a producer’s competitive edge at the market, additional profits for the farm and fewer food safety concerns. The workshops will be at Chris Blanchard’s Rock Spring Farm in Decorah on July 26 and at Norine and Duane Black’s Black’s Heritage Farm in Ames, on July 27. Both workshops will run from 1 to 5 p.m. and are organized by the Fruit and Vegetable Working Group coordinated by the Leopold Center and Iowa State University's Value Added Agriculture program. See flier [PDF]

Drake, Leopold Center launch land tenure project

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:36:35 -0500

Sustainable agriculture and land tenure are the focus of a new research and outreach collaboration between the Agricultural Law Center at Drake University and the Leopold Center at Iowa State University. The Iowa Landowner and Sustainable Agricultural Land Stewardship project will explore trends in Iowa farmland ownership and the transition of land to a new generation of owners, many of whom will rent or lease farmland to others.

Leopold Center seeks project ideas for 2010 and beyond

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:09:33 -0500

The Leopold Center has issued its 2009 Request for Pre-proposals (RFP) for new projects as part of its long-running competitive grants program. Each of the Center’s initiative areas – ecology, marketing and food systems and policy – has a separate section in the RFP. Investigators representing any Iowa nonprofit organization/agency and/or educational institution (such as soil and water conservation districts, schools and colleges, and regional development groups) may submit pre-proposals. Deadline is 5 p.m., August 19, and funding for approved projects will be available in early 2010.

Leopold Center research examines ethanol coproducts for forage-based beef systems

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:13:35 -0500

With corn ethanol production increasing the demand for corn and competing for acres available for grazing, a project of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture looks at how cattle producers can reap the benefits of both systems. The Leopold Center’s Ecology Initiative is funding a multi-year research and demonstration project led by Iowa State University Extension beef specialist Dan Loy. He is exploring the costs and advantages of feeding dried distillers grains (DDGs) as a supplement with forage or pasture-based systems. Watch a video about the project.

Three new board members chosen to advise Leopold Center

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:46:10 -0500

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Practical Farmers of Iowa and the State Soil Conservation Committee each have named one new representative to serve on the advisory board for the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture (go to news release). The 17-member board advises the director on funding of research proposals, policies and procedures, budget development and program review (more about board).

June Notes from the Leopold Center

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:13:38 -0500

Read about current happenings in the latest issue of Notes from the Leopold Center. Topics in this month's issue include "Hands of a Sustainable Agriculture," a photo gallery featuring images from Jerry DeWitt; a new book about grassland agriculture and the latest research; a glossary of climate change terms; and a new visiting faculty program at the Leopold Center. View as PDF

Leopold Center releases glossary of climate change terms

Wed, 3 Jun 2009 11:25:35 -0500

A new glossary from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture defines terms like milankovitch cycles and eutrophication, which could become just as common in climate change discussions in the near future as carbon footprint and acid rain are now. Understanding Common Terms Used in Discussions about Climate Change and Agriculture was written by Rich Pirog, Leopold Center Associate Director and leader of the Center’s Marketing and Food Systems Initiative, and Rebecca Rasmussen, an MBA student in the ISU College of Business. Check out this new reference [PDF]

Projects, perennials, soils and searches

Fri, 22 May 2009 12:06:49 -0500

The current Leopold Letter is now on-line. This issue announces our slate of new projects for the year and the search for a new director upon Jerry DeWitt's retirement. You'll also learn about a new team devoted to getting more perennials on the land and read Distinguished Fellow Fred Kirschenmann's tribute to the foundation of every farm's success, its soil. Director DeWitt outlines how the Leopold Center has adapted to the economic downtown, and you'll hear from a student in Aldo Leopold's last class 61 years ago. Other features include the story of how a community of practice became a real community for a small meat processing plant and why "Agriculture of the Middle" could restore choice in the marketplace. Download the PDF

Research grant will fund water protection research

Fri, 22 May 2009 12:02:27 -0500

The Leopold Center Ecology Initiative recently awarded a three-year competitive grant to Robb DeHaan from Dordt College in northwest Iowa to monitor nitrate leeching in field plots planted in a variety of row crops, cover crops and perennials (hay or alfalfa). His community of Sioux Center, like more than 200 other small communities in Iowa, obtains more than half of its drinking water from shallow wells that can be impacted by land management practices near the wells and in surrounding watershed areas.

New on-line look for Leopold Center Ecology Initiative

Wed, 20 May 2009 14:19:23 -0500

The Leopold Center's Ecology Initiative page has a new format and several new features. "On the Ground with the Leopold Center" highlights initiative-funded work in short videos; initiative leader Jeri Neal offers resources in a weekly "Across My Desk" section.

Officials discuss expanding local food commerce

Wed, 20 May 2009 14:16:45 -0500

Local government, school and community leaders are invited to a statewide workshop to explore their role in expanding local food commerce through planning. The workshop will be Wednesday, June 10 from 8:30 a.m. until noon at the Center for Energy and Environmental Education (CEEE) at the University of Northern Iowa. Registration is required. View event flier [PDF]

Grasslands: The future of sustainable agriculture

Wed, 13 May 2009 17:09:35 -0500

The Leopold Center Ecology Initiative received a grant from the Wallace Genetic Foundation to update the USDA's 1948 Yearbook of Agriculture, Grass. The authors of the new book, Grassland: Quietness and Strength for a New American Agriculture, explain why grassland should be a permanent component of our ecosystem for ensuring the future of sustainable agriculture.

Leopold Center seeks visiting faculty for 2010

Tue, 12 May 2009 16:45:09 -0500

The Leopold Center is accepting applications for a new Visiting Faculty program, which in 2010 will examine systems-based approaches to agricultural production that protect and improve the long-term health and resilience of agricultural communities and associated natural systems. Applications are due July 15, 2009. Position announcement Application form

USDA offers farmers assistance to transition to organic

Thu, 7 May 2009 09:12:32 -0500

Iowa farmers transitioning to organic production and those who want to increase conservation practices on certified organic acres are eligible for more than $1.4 million in federal funds and technical assistance. "This is great news for Iowa farmers, especially those who have been considering the transition to organic but did not have support," said Leopold Center Director Jerry DeWitt. The Leopold Center has funded organic agriculture research since 1997, including one of the nation's longest-running comparison sites of organic and conventional crops at the Iowa State University Neely-Kinyon Research Farm near Greenfield.

New on-line look for Marketing and Food Systems Initiative

Wed, 6 May 2009 12:32:35 -0500

The Leopold Center's Marketing and Food Systems Initiative page has a new format. Reports and resources are organized according to 10 timely topics from farmer profitability and food miles to supply networks and climate change.

High tunnels for high value crops

Wed, 6 May 2009 11:52:21 -0500

Iowa State University Extension specialist Linda Naeve gives a tour of high tunnel research funded by the Leopold Center in this month's photo gallery. More about the project and other materials at: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/research/marketing_files/tunnel.htm

May Notes from the Leopold Center

Fri, 1 May 2009 09:53:16 -0500

Read about current happenings in the latest issue of Notes from the Leopold Center. Topics in this month's issue include nominations for the 2009 Spencer Award, an Earth Day photo gallery, why to target conservation efforts, Food Facts, high-tunnel tulips and local food in Story County. View as PDF

From Greening to Resilience

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:22:09 -0500

Many factors related to climate change, energy and water will impact agriculture in the future, but what should be on our immediate agenda? Leopold Center Distinguished Fellow Fred Kirschenmann offers the long view at the year-end Iowa State University Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture colloquium on April 29. View materials from the presentation (note that PDF is 1.9 MB in size).

2009 Spencer Award nominations due June 1 to Leopold Center

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:32:48 -0500

The 2009 Spencer Award for Sustainable Agriculture will be presented later this year to an Iowan who has helped family farms prosper and contributed to energizing Iowa’s rural communities and economy. Nominations for the honor are due June 1, 2009 to the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, which administers the nomination process. The prestigious award includes a $1,000 cash prize. Read more about the award and the family after which the award was named.

Conservation could take cue from economy: Target your investments

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:52:09 -0500

Can targeting your investments work for conservation as well as economics? Such an approach not only is possible, but also may be more effective when it comes to conservation practices on Iowa's landscape.

A team of Iowa State University researchers is making the economic and environmental case for deploying a portfolio of conservation practices on the land. The goal of the group, supported by the Ecology Initiative at the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, is to encourage the strategic use of trees, prairies and other perennials in key parts of the landscape in a way that will result in multiple environmental benefits while causing only a small change in overall agricultural production.

This group has outlined the case in a four-color, peer-reviewed Leopold Center publication, A Targeted Conservation Approach for Improving Environmental Quality.

2009 Earth Day Iowa

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 09:34:40 -0500

Leopold Center communications student Natalie Askren shares her impressions in a photo gallery that celebrates Iowa's natural beauty. Natalie is a junior at Iowa State University from Muscatine and is studying journalism and art and design. April 22 marks the 39th year for Earth Day, following the theme "The Green Generation."

Materials from Leopold Center marketing workshop now available

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:25:22 -0500

Project abstracts, two audio reports, a photo gallery and PDFs of PowerPoint presentations from the 2009 Leopold Center Marketing and Food Systems Initiative and Value Chain Partnerships Workshop are now on-line. Also watch a video of the keynote address by Virginia Clarke, "The Evolving Role of Philanthropy in Developing a More Sustainable Food System." Clarke is coordinator of the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders network.

Search begins for new Leopold Center director

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:23:24 -0500

A nationwide search has begun for a new director for the Leopold Center. Jerry DeWitt will complete a three-year term as director December 31, 2009, when he plans to retire. Applications for the position are due July 1.

Food Facts: Results from Marketing and Food Systems Research

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:01:53 -0500

Information from several recently completed projects has been added to the 2009 edition of Food Facts, a list of key findings from food-related research, demonstrations and studies supported by the Leopold Center. Look for the new project information under Economic Impacts, Food Miles, Market Research, Niche Beef, Niche Pork, Niche Poultry, Transaction and Business Costs, and Food Safety.

High tunnel extends growing season with tulips

Tue, 7 Apr 2009 09:45:03 -0500

Iowa State University researchers showed high tunnels can be used to extend the growing season by cultivating tulips over the winter at the Armstrong Research and Demonstration Farm in southwest Iowa. The research is supported by a Leopold Center Marketing and Food Systems Initiative grant to explore a variety of high-value crops.

April Notes from the Leopold Center

Thu, 2 Apr 2009 15:46:28 -0500

Read about current happenings in the latest issue of Notes from the Leopold Center. Topics in this month's issue include comments about our recent marketing workshop, our news feed, new annual report, fire and grazing resources, high tunnels, web videos and cover crops.

Leopold Center local foods workshop draws record crowd

Wed, 1 Apr 2009 10:49:36 -0500

If you think the flagging economy has dampened public interest in local foods and sustainable agriculture, think again. At least 250 people from six states attended the March 30 Marketing and Food Systems Initiative workshop hosted by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture in Ames.

"We were excited to see so many new farmers, educators and business people who have not attended previous workshops, and wanted to learn more about the results of these projects," said Rich Pirog, Leopold Center associate director and leader of the Center's marketing initiative. "It clearly shows that the Leopold Center's investments are paying dividends in the state."

Leopold Center offers RSS feed for updates and news

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:45:46 -0500

RSS feeds offer a handy way to check the latest headlines and news on your favorite web sites, and now from the Leopold Center. We will be posting links to new tools and resources as they are available, and to all Leopold Center news and announcements.

To subscribe to the Leopold Center news feed, all you need is a news reader or news aggregator, which are available on Google, Yahoo and other popular web sites. Enter the URL for this feed into your news reader, http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/rss.xml