What do hoop barns, prairie strips and food hubs have in common?

Besides the more obvious answers of Iowa or agriculture, the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture (LCSA) can be included in the list of possible answers.

Since 1987, when it was established as part of the Iowa Groundwater Protection Act, the Leopold Center has been enabling researchers and scientists to find ways to farm and grow food sustainably to improve the farmers’ bottom line as well as the state’s soil health and water quality.

Over the last 30 years, the Leopold Center has conducted a successful competitive grants program, focusing on these areas:

•Ecology, to explore better ways...