I’d like to take this time to recognize an
impressive Iowan. Professor Lisa Schulte Moore, of Iowa State University is
doing important work on behalf of farmers, rural communities and all Americans.
Dr. Schulte Moore is a landscape ecologist and
professor of Natural Resource Ecology and Management. Additionally, she serves
as the Associate Director of the Bioeconomy Institute at Iowa State University.
Dr. Schulte Moore was recently recognized as the 2021
MacArthur Foundation Award recipient, and first-ever Iowa State MacArthur Fellow.
This award is known as the “Genius Grant” and is
given to individuals who have shown a dedication to their field through
creativity and originality.
Dr. Schulte Moore is a founder of the Prairie STRIPS
conservation program.
Established in 2003 at the Neal Smith National
Wildlife Refuge in Prairie City, Iowa, this program studied the effects of
planting prairie strips on farmland.
Participants found that prairie strips can protect
the quality of our soil and water by reducing farm field soil loss by 95
percent.
They also reduces nitrogen and phosphorous runoff by
up to 80 percent.
Because of her work, prairie strips are used in 14
states on over 115,000 acres of cropland.
In addition to the $625,000 received through the
MacArthur Foundation, Dr. Schulte Moore was recently awarded a $10 million
federal grant to turn biomass and manure into fuel.
With this research, Dr. Schulte Moore is looking for
additional ways that farm waste can be turned into renewable fuel.
Whether it is researching the next generation of biofuels,
or helping farmers understand what conservation practices work best at their
farm, I’m grateful that the MacArthur Foundation recognized Dr. Schulte Moore.
Her dedication and innovation encourage young people
at Iowa State and beyond to become involved in agriculture.
The fact is, the United States has the safest
and most abundant food supply in the world thanks to the American farmer
and through the research of institutions like Iowa State.
Congratulations to Dr. Schulte Moore. Iowa State
University and the state of Iowa are lucky to have her.