History and Mission
In 1985, Iowa agriculture was in a threefold crisis. Evidence of the negative ecological consequences of current farming practices was mounting; the collapse of commodity prices called into question the economic sustainability of agriculture; and the demise of thousands of farms was draining the vitality of rural communities.
From the turmoil emerged a new paradigm—sustainable agriculture—and in Iowa, a new organization emerged to promote that paradigm, Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI). Founded as an information-sharing and community-building organization for producers, PFI has emerged as a leader in science-based approaches to sustainable agriculture and in the creation of new marketing relationships that can more readily sustain family farms.
The mission of Practical Farmers of Iowa is to research, develop and promote profitable, ecologically sound and community-enhancing approaches to agriculture.
"When those people say "practical" they mean it. They are doing what most needs to be done: They are introducing into the countryside practical, successful examples of better ways of farming."
Wendell Berry, author and farmer
"PFI was one of the first farmer-controlled organizations in the United States to put forward the mutual goals of profitability, productivity and sustainability. PFI challenged the scientific establishment.... to produce knowledge that farmers could use to improve the environmental and economic challenges they face. They continue to play this critical role."
Karl Stauber, Northwest Area Foundation
"We believe the current reversal of attitudes in the state of Iowa—to be much more community focused and looking to local food for both environmental protection and for economic growth of rural communities—have in large part been because of the efforts of Practical Farmers of Iowa."
Rick Foster, W.K. Kellogg Foundation