Des Moines Register
02-18-07
Leopold Center places its emphasis on Iowa
Director believes in sustainable farming, helps model 'successful approaches'
By JERRY PERKINS
REGISTER FARM EDITOR
Ames, Ia. - Jerry DeWitt has worn a lot of hats during his 34 years at Iowa State
University, but none has been more challenging than his current job as director
of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture.
Now in its 20th year, the Leopold Center funds research into subjects ranging
from free-range hogs to finding new crops for making cellulosic ethanol. It
conducts research and education programs to support profitable farms that
conserve natural resources.
The center, named after Aldo Leopold, an Iowa-born conservationist, ecologist
and educator, was created in 1987 by the Iowa Groundwater Protection Act.
"Aldo Leopold's words are a constant inspiration to us to keep us on the right
track," DeWitt said.
DeWitt, 61, was named to a three-year term as director last month after serving
as interim director for more than a year. Since replacing Fred Kirschenmann in
November 2005, he has tried to steer the Leopold Center in a more Iowaoriented direction.
With an annual budget of approximately $1.8 million, the center gets funding from
state appropriations and from fees on nitrogen fertilizer and the registration of
pesticides. It also gets some grants.
Q: The Leopold Center partners with other state agencies on the Iowa Learning
Farm program. What is the Iowa Learning Farm and why is it important?
A: Through the Iowa Learning Farm, we'll be delivering Leopold Center's on-farm
research from the last 20 years to mainstream Iowa agriculture. If we are going to
change agriculture in Iowa, we need to work more with mainstream, conventional
farmers.
The Iowa Learning Farm involves more than 30 mid- to large-size Iowa farmers
who are active in conservation work. They will teach other farmers how to
improve the quality of Iowa's soil and water on their farms and remain profitable
and sustainable. Iowa farmers know there's a need for stewardship to protect our
soil and water.
As director of the Learning Farm, I'll work with an administrative team from four
departments at Iowa State: agronomy, agricultural and biosystems engineering,
economics and sociology.
You can get more information at www.extension. iastate.edu/ilf.
Q: What about ethanol?
A: Ethanol is a first step. It's an opportunity for farm families to be paid a little
more equitably for what they produce. It's about time they were, but ethanol does
not solve our problems.
It is having an impact on beginning farmers and small farmers because it's
pushing land values and rents higher. That brings up questions about who will
farm the land for the coming decades.
And if all the plants that are projected to come on line do come on line, where will
we get the corn? What is the impact on our cattle, poultry and hog industries?
There will be soil and water impacts from using more nitrogen to grow corn to
meet ethanol demand and if more marginal land in the Conservation Reserve
Program is used for crops.
Show me the safeguards we can use if those marginal lands come in. Show me
we can produce that corn sustainably. There are good ripples coming from
ethanol, but what are the other ripples? We need to ask those questions so good
decisions can be made and we're not surprised in the end.
Q: Will you have a role in the 2007 farm bill?
A: The farm bill debate won't be a major effort. We are cooperating with other
groups, providing data and ideas, but we won't try to have a direct influence on
the farm bill. The Leopold Center is for Iowa and we will put our emphasis on
Iowa.
Q: What are some Leopold Center research projects that have paid off?
A: There are several areas. The center funded research into hoop structures in
Iowa and showed they could be an efficient and lower-cost way for hog
producers to expand. Research also showed hoops can cut water runoff because
there are no lagoons needed to store hog manure.
We also captured some attention and interest working with the late Fred
Blackmer on the late spring nitrogen test. This taught farmers how to better use
nitrogen fertilizer and help the environment. It changed the thinking about how
we managed nitrogen.
And the Bear Creek project became a national model showing how simple
procedures and practices like riparian and buffer strips can be adopted and help
water quality.
You can help people change, one at a time, by modeling successful approaches
that give farmers hope that they can make a difference.
The Leopold Center is as much about hope as it is about the proper farming
practices. In life, and in farming, sometimes I think we've lost hope.
We need to be both bold and balanced to create practical solutions that people
will adopt. If it's not profitable, people won't adopt.
Q: You have a three-year appointment through 2009. What's after that?
A: I could have retired four years ago and I would have, but I feel like I'm making
a difference, helping Iowa. So I accepted a three-year appointment. Then I want
to retire and get involved part-time with a sustainable agriculture group and do
more photography.
Meet Jerry DeWitt
Director of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and professor of
entomology, Iowa State University.
BACKGROUND: DeWitt was raised on a diversified, family farm in Illinois. He
has held positions including:
- Coordinator, Iowa State Extension's sustainable agriculture program.
- Leopold Center advisory board member from 1987 to 1997.
- Associate dean in the College of Agriculture.
- State liaison for the National Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education.
NOTABLE WORK:
- Pioneered the Integrated Pest Management program at Iowa State.
- Forged a research relationship between Iowa State and the Practical Farmers
of Iowa.
- Photographer for Cynthia Vagnetti's book "People Sustaining the Land"
- Senior photographer for "Renewing the Country-side - Iowa"
FAMILY: Wife, Kathy Beery; four sons, four grandsons.
LEARN MORE: www.leopold.iastate.edu
Farm Editor Jerry Perkins can be reached at (515) 284-8456 or
jperkins@dmreg.com