2-11-00

Contacts:
Dennis Keeney, Agronomy/Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, (515) 232-1531
Megan Kuhn, Agriculture Information, (515) 294-2957


KEENEY WILL DISCUSS INTERNATIONAL ISSUES OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AT AAAS MEETING

AMES, Iowa -- Dennis Keeney, an Iowa State University emeritus professor of agronomy and agricultural and biosystems engineering, will address several international issues concerning sustainable agriculture at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Feb. 17-22, in Washington, D.C. Keeney recently retired as the director of ISU's Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture.

Keeney's first talk, to be given on Feb. 20, will focus on the Asia-Pacific region. In "Linking Soil Quality, Water Quality and Agro-Ecosystem Health, " Keeney will discuss how people in the region can improve the quality of their soils to provide a more sustainable agriculture.

Keeney, who has traveled extensively throughout China, Korea, Malaysia and Japan, says there is concern that the region will not be able to meet future food needs if the soil is allowed to continue to degrade.

Keeney's second presentation, on Feb. 21, will address the question, "Are Open Food Systems Compatible with a Sustainable Agriculture?" He will talk about free trade and whether it is compatible with the sustainability of the land. Free trade is often thought to be more conducive to helping the economy than to protecting the environment, he said.

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