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NEWS: Leopold Center wins State Science Award



NEWS RELEASE

For immediate release
For information contact:
Anne Larson or Liz Weber
(515) 294-3711

FOR RELEASE:  April 25, 1997


LEOPOLD CENTER WINS STATE SCIENCE HONOR

AMES, IOWA --The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture received the
Iowa Academy of Science Distinguished Service award at ceremonies held
April 25 in Dubuque.  The award recognizes exceptional service in the areas
of science, technology, and application of science to public service.

In receiving the award on behalf of the Center, Dennis Keeney, Center
director, remarked:  "I am most pleased that the Iowa Academy of Science
has recognized the Center for its efforts.  We work with many members of
the Academy and would like to involve even more of them in our programs on
ecology, water quality, and other environmental issues."

The Leopold Center-marking its 10th anniversary this year-conducts research
and education programs to ensure profitable, environmentally-sound farming
in Iowa.  The Center was created by the 1987 Iowa Groundwater Protection
Act and is housed at Iowa State University, Ames.

In nominating the Center for the award, Dr. John Pesek, an emeritus ISU
agronomy professor who was active in laying the groundwork that eventually
brought the Leopold Center to ISU, told the committee "This nomination of
the Leopold Center is based on its outstanding contributions to the
application of science to public service as well as to its support of
research and technology transfer related to sustainable agriculture in this
state."

Since 1987, the Leopold Center has funded more than 140 competitive
research and education projects on issues including soil fertility, pest
management, livestock management, water quality, rural sociology, and
economics.  Under Keeney's direction, the Center created interdisciplinary
research teams to attack problems normally considered too diverse for a
single scientific discipline.


The Center's extensive outreach efforts have been conducted in cooperation
with the ISU Cooperative Extension Service and numerous nonprofit and
educational organizations statewide.  Since 1993, more than 6,000 farmers,
educators, and community leaders have attended regional conferences
supported by the Leopold Center.

The Leopold Center's funding comes from state appropriations and fees
charged on nitrogen fertilizer and pesticides.  The Center is advised by a
board made up of representatives of the farming community, Iowa's state
universities, private colleges and universities, the Department of
Agricultural and Land Stewardship, and the Department of Natural Resources.


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