News Releases Leopold Center

UNI appoints two new reps to Leopold Center Advisory Board

lwmiller — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:58:06 +0000

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa has two new representatives on the advisory board of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, a research center located at Iowa State University.

Researcher seeks answer to cover crop mystery

melissal — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:14:52 +0000

AMES, Iowa – Winter cover crops improve farmland health by putting roots in the ground during a time of year when corn and soybean aren’t growing. Farmers planting winter rye, however, have discovered a mystery: While otherwise an ideal cover crop, rye will sometimes cause a yield decrease in the following corn crop.

Master grazier certification program enters second year

melissal — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 15:29:58 +0000

AMES, Iowa – A pilot program designed to increase the competitiveness and long-term sustainability of grazing systems in Iowa is now recruiting participants for its second year.

Iowa State University Extension and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) personnel developed the curriculum for the Certified Grazier Program, which received three years of funding from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture’s Ecology Initiative. Last year, 13 graziers received “Certified Grazier” certificates after completing the program.

Leopold Center issues 2013 Request for Pre-proposals

lwmiller — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 20:39:50 +0000

AMES, Iowa -- The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture is looking for innovative ideas for research and projects as part of its long-running competitive grants program. Of particular interest this year is work that focuses on soil health, identifying and managing vulnerabilities to agriculture, and food hubs.

Specifics are outlined in the Leopold Center’s Summer 2013 Request for Pre-proposals (RFP). The deadline for submitting ideas, in the form of a 2-3 page concept paper, is July 19, 2013.

Website highlights Iowa Farm to School efforts

melissal — Tue, 28 May 2013 16:25:56 +0000

AMES, Iowa – A new website showcases stories from around the state of efforts to bring fresh, local food into Iowa schools.

Flannery Cerbin, a FoodCorps Fellow housed at the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), received a special grant through the statewide Local Food and Farm Initiative (LFFI) program to create the website, www.iowafarmtoschool.org. The LFFI is coordinated by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Iowa State University Extension.

Iowa State study shows soil-building benefits of organic practices

lwmiller — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:59:13 +0000

AMES, Iowa – Producers making the switch to organic crops to meet growing market demand not only fetch premium prices, according to a recent study; they also build healthy soil and sequester carbon, making organic agriculture a useful strategy for dealing with climate change.

Transplant Decision Tool now available for growers

melissal — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 20:51:03 +0000

AMES, Iowa – As demand for local and organic produce rises, vegetable growers face the challenge of scaling up the size of their operations. A new online tool provides information to growers in the Upper Midwest about the methods and equipment available for transplant production.

Guide for game-bird preserves now online

melissal — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 19:35:10 +0000

AMES, Iowa – A new publication, the Game-Bird Preserve Business Development Guide, is available for Iowa landowners interested in establishing a profitable hunting preserve.

The guide, authored by Dan Burden of Iowa State University Value-Added Agriculture, is the result of a one-year grant from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. Burden interviewed preserve operators in Iowa and Minnesota to compile tips for creating a successful business.

Farm energy grants demonstrate electric tractor, dairy projects

lwmiller — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 18:47:35 +0000

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The Iowa Farm Energy Working Group (FEWG) has awarded three demonstration grants to Iowa farmers with small to mid-sized operations to demonstrate how they meet their energy needs through energy efficiency, energy conservation, or the use of renewable resources from 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 at Iowa State University.

Leopold Center accepting nominations for 2013 Spencer Award

lwmiller — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 16:14:03 +0000

AMES, Iowa – The Leopold Center is now accepting nominations for the 2013 Spencer Award for Sustainable Agriculture, which honors people who have made a significant contribution to the ecological and economic stability of Iowa’s family farms.

You may nominate yourself or others for the award. Submit your nomination form, along with two letters of support, to the Leopold Center by June 3, 2013.