The Leopold Center is sad to report the death of Frederick L. Kirschenmann, former director of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University, who passed away after a long illness, Sept. 13, 2025.
Kirschenmann served as the second director of the LCSA from 2000-2005. Following his directorship, he continued to serve an active role as LCSA distinguished fellow through 2020, continuing to advocate for innovative and ethical solutions to agriculture’s systemic challenges. He was also a professor in Iowa State’s Department of Religion and Philosophy.
An essay, “My Leopold Center Journey” in the 2020 LCSA Annual Report (page 8-9) shares his own reflections on 20 years of leadership with the center, followed by “Thoughts on Fred Kirschenmann” (page 10) by Mark Honeymann, former associate dean of Iowa State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
A posthumous tribute in FoodTank offers a tribute to Fred’s accomplishments during a prolific career as a leader in the areas of sustainable agriculture, higher education and organic farming, including serving in recent years as president of the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in New York.
Friends can find his complete obituary and contribute memories at Fred’s Caring Bridge. A Zoom gathering in Fred’s honor is being planned by his family for a later time.
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