Ahna Kruzic is a community organizer turned activist-researcher from rural southern Iowa. Ahna has worked as a researcher, community organizer, coalition-builder, and more. As Director of Publications and Communications at Food First, otherwise known as the Institute for Food and Development Policy, Ahna coordinates, contributes to, and publishes communications, analyses, and research-for-action which seeks to dismantle exploitative racism, capitalism, and oppression in the food and agriculture system.

As more consumers take an interest in how their food reaches their tables, Dr. Millman, a professor in the department of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine as well as the biomedical sciences department, has helped to usher the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine to the forefront of animal welfare research.

Several students presented academic posters at the 2017 Sustainable Agriculture Research Symposium, held on April 19 at the Memorial Union. Each year, students have the opportunity to present and discuss their research during a poster session, as well as participate in a poster competition with cash prizes. The competition was divided into PhD and MS categories, with each awarding first ($100), second ($75), and third ($50) place. The winners are:

PhD Category:

Huong Nguyen[Kristine Nue]()Navreet Kaur Mahal

MS Category:

Rebecca NixonJohn Krzton-PressonAla Khaleel and [David Weisberger]() (tie)

Location: South Ballroom, Memorial Union

Keynote: Strengthening the Sustainability of Agricultural Biodiversity with Karl Zimmerer

Nataliya Apanovich (PhD) has twice traveled to Uganda during her time at Iowa State: from August to December 2015 and May to November 2016. Although her trips first began as a way to gather academic research, the relationships she formed led Apanovich to invest in the Grass Roots Café and Deli, which she now co-owns. Located just west of Lake Victoria in the southern town of Masaka, the restaurant incorporates numerous sustainable practices ranging from supporting local foods to paying employees above average wages.

Although only a handful of students in the Sustainable Agriculture Graduate Program aspire to be farmers, alum Dana Jokela (MS ‘16) has taken the skills and knowledge he acquired at Iowa State to create a growing business at Sogn Valley Farm. After completing his first successful season as a full-time farmer last year, Jokela looks forward to a fruitful 2017 in which he can continue to expand his agricultural enterprise.

On March 9, the Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences presented awards to faculty and staff. Of the nearly two dozen honorees, four are faculty for the Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture. The award winners, who each won $500, include:

Clark Ford (Food Science and Human Nutrition) received the Distance Education Teaching Award. Ford has taught a world food issues class since 1997. The class requires students to critically examine problems surrounding food issues throughout the world.

Kristine Neu (PhD) has been recognized with a 2017-18 Brown Graduate Fellowship, providing her a $10,000 scholarship for the upcoming academic year. Awarded annually, the Brown Graduate Fellowship advances Iowa State research in the areas of science, agriculture and space science that are governed by the Valentine Hammes Family and Leopold Hammes Brown Family Trust.

“Kristine is an integral part of advancing research within horticulture, and more specifically, sustainable vegetable production, because of her passion to address practical problems raised by growers,” said Director of Graduate Education Mary Wiedenhoeft, who nominated Neu for the award with the help of her advisor, Dr. Ajay Nair (Horticulture).

Ala’ Khaleel (MS) won first place in the student poster competition at the 2017 Soil Health Conference, which took place February 16-17 in Ames. Entitled “Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics of Tree Windbreaks in the U.S. Great Plains,” Khaleel’s poster explored how windbreak practices can contribute to organic carbon and other relevant soil properties.

“It was really one of the most pleasant moments when I heard my name,” Khaleel said. “I was thrilled beyond words that people recognized and tried to reward me for something I genuinely and truly worked for.”

On Feb. 3, alums Stephanie Enloe (MS ‘14) and Anna Johnson (MS ‘16) opened a Central for Rural Affairs office in Nevada, IA, to continue their work related to crop insurance, renewable energy and other areas of rural community development. Although the Center focuses on a number of federal policy issues, the new office is the Center's only physical site located outside of Nebraska, where the non-profit was founded in 1973 with a mission to build “strong rural communities, social and economic justice, environmental stewardship and genuine opportunity for all…”

On Feb. 2, the Sustainable Agriculture Student Association held its first meeting of the year to honor a crop of new and returning officers. Leading the charge as SASA co-presidents, Morgan Bradley (MS/MCRP) and Erika Rodbell (MS) said that they look forward to building vital leadership skills while serving both the Iowa State and Ames communities.

“SASA will continue to be involved with Food and First, the Local Food Cycle and other events in our community,” Bradley said. “We hope to increase our presence in the online community this year and also hope to have a table at the Ames Main Street Farmers' Market, at least for a few Saturdays. We hope this will spread awareness about our organization. We will have awesome t-shirts and mugs to sell!”

Graduate student Hanna Poffenbarger (PhD), Dr. Ajay Nair (Horticulture) and Dr. Matthew Liebman (Agronomy) recently presented research at the Practical Farmers of Iowa Annual Conference, which took place Jan. 19-21 in Ames. The conference has served as the backbone of PFI since its founding, providing farmers with “learning, networking and grassroots solutions to on-farm challenges for a more diverse, sustainable agricultural landscape.”

Dr. Clark Ford, professor in food science and human nutrition, has been named the 2016 Iowa State University AgOnline Teacher of Year for his World Food Issues (Agron 342) online course. Bestowed during National Distance Education Week, the award is given by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Brenton Center for Agricultural Instruction and Technology Transfer, which conduct course evaluations each semester to tally student nominations for the AgOnline Teaching Award. Dr. Ford’s honor is based on evidence of commitment to online education, outstand teaching and mentoring of students, innovative course design and delivery, and contributions to online teaching.

Rebecca Nixon (MS) won second place in the graduate student category at the 2016 Borlaug Poster Competition held in conjunction with Iowa State’s annual Norman Borlaug Lecture. Nixon’s poster, “‘Акча бар, суу бар’: Exploring impacts on women’s participation in irrigation management in southern Kyrgyzstan,” showcased her research findings with the Tian Shan Policy Center, a nonprofit located at the American University of Central Asia.

“Presenting and placing in the Borlaug Poster Competition was a great opportunity to share my research with the Iowa State community in a venue where research from the Central Asian region is uncommon,” Nixon said. “It was also an opportunity to get feedback from a diversity of a disciplines—input from individuals outside of my field helps me think about my research in new ways.”

Wallaces Farmer highlighted David Weisberger (MS) for his graduate research regarding oats and other organic small grains. Since 2014, Weisberger has worked with Dr. Mary Wiedenhoeft (Agronomy) to examine how farmers can better incorporate small grains as a third crop into corn and soybean production.

Research Assistantship

Current and entering students are invited to apply for the research assistantship position described below with Dr. Nancy Grudens-Schuck.