AMES, Iowa — The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture recently awarded 13 new grants for projects which range from analyzing transaction costs of small to mid-sized Iowa farmers, to planning a facility for value-added farm business incubation.

“These projects will give farmers solid information about the costs and risks associated with various niche markets, as well as resources to help develop these enterprises,” said Rich Pirog of the Leopold Center Marketing and Food Systems Initiative at Iowa State University.

The 2006 Leopold Center’s New Competitive Grants include:

•Analysis of transaction costs for small and midsize Iowa farmers, C. Walter, College of Business, ISU
•Assessing needs and fostering agricultural entrepreneurship among immigrants in several Iowa communities, L. Fleshner, M&M Divide RC&D, Carroll
•Bridging the Gap: What does it take to bring small and medium-sized producers and retail and food service distributors together? M. Holz-Clause, Agriculture Marketing Resource Center, ISU
•Determining the methods for measuring and the extent of economic and fiscal impacts associated with organic crop conversion in Iowa, D. Swenson, Department of Economics, ISU
•Functional quality management systems for livestock producers, J. Lawrence, Iowa Beef Center, ISU
•Investigation of economic feasibility of pasture-based dairy farms in NW Iowa, C. Mondak, ISU Extension, Orange City
•Iowa taste of place project Phase II: Outreach, R. Saltzman, Iowa Arts Council, Des Moines
•New food entrepreneurs - Value added enterprises for farm profitability, R. Graves, Wallace House Foundation, Des Moines
•Niche-markets in the agricultural enterprise mix: Farm profit optimization and risk analysis, S. Ellis, Iowa Beef Center, ISU
•Plan demonstration farm to include farm business incubator and educational use, L. Barnes, Marshalltown Community College, Marshalltown
•Planning a facility for value-added farm business incubation and educational use, L. Barnes, Marshalltown Community College, Marshalltown

The projects total more than $264,000 for the first year of work. This farm news was published in the March 15, 2006 issue of Farm World.