Henry A. Wallace Chair for Sustainable Agriculture

Wallace Chair Mission and History

Mission

The Henry A. Wallace Chair for Sustainable Agriculture

• Provides leadership for the development and implementation of major educational and research programs on the sustainability of current and future agricultural practices.
• Explores new structures and relationships among the environmental community, consumers, agricultural producers, universities, and industry and governmental bodies.
• Enhances the Iowa State University's ability to influence, support and lead toward timely and appropriate changes for rural society to better position the university to serve tomorrow's agriculture.
• Develops educational materials and programs and reports research finding to the scientific community and to the citizens of Iowa and the nation.

History

Henry A. Wallace was an ardent conservationist, a fervent supporter of rural communities, and a progressive leader in the fight to alleviate global hunger and poverty. The Wallace Chair for Sustainable Agriculture was established in 1997 to ensure that the ideas of Henry A. Wallace would be taught to future generations. Gifts from the Wallace Genetic Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation provided the financial base for establishment of the Chair. In 2000, Lorna Michael Butler was named the first holder of the Chair. As Chair, she was instrumental in establishing the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods. She also began the annual John Pesek Colloquium on Sustainable Agriculture and held the Pathways to Sustainability seminar series. In 2007, Matt Liebman became the second holder of the Wallace Chair.

"Science and engineering will destroy themselves and the civilization of which they are a part unless there is built up a consciousness which is as real and definite in meeting social problems as the engineer displays when he builds his bridge."

--H. A. Wallace