In 2017, the Leopold Center was defunded in budget cuts made by Iowa's state government. Without state funds, the center will no longer offer grants to academic researchers, working farmers, or field-to-table advocacy programs. Students at ISU will no longer be able to receive financial support for advanced degrees in sustainable agriculture. Due to the cuts, five of the center's staff members were let go, leaving just director Rasmussen and distinguished fellow
Fred Kirschenmann. The Center moved into a smaller office and downsized 30 years of records. They received a commitment from ISU, to keep the center's website up with all past research searchable in the university database. Many believe the influence of
agribusiness on legislators leads to a lack of willingness to support the center. A grassroots coalition of current students of the ISU Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture, emeritus faculty and alumni of ISU, farmers, and members of
Iowa Farmers Union,
Iowa Environmental Council,
Center for Rural Affairs,
Women, Food and Agriculture Network, ISU Sustainable Agriculture Student Association, and
Practical Farmers of Iowa was formed to revive the center and to educate the public of Center's mission and activities. The legislation was introduced by state representatives
Charles Isenhart and
Beth Wessel-Kroeschell to fund the center. The bill would make $1 million in annual public funding available to the center if ISU's president first raised the same amount in private funds. Together, the $2 million would equal the Leopold Center's pre-cutback budget. ==References==