爱荷华州立大学农业和农村发展中心就地方、区域和全球农业问题进行创新的公共政策和经济研究。CARD使用当代和历史悠久的经济理论，定量方法和跨学科方法来告知，参与和造福社会。CARD与州和联邦政策制定者，研究界，农业，食品和环境团体，个人决策者以及当地和全球受众交流研究结果。
CARD对广泛的主题进行研究，研究计划侧重于政策主题的经济，环境和社会影响，例如“清洁水法”的成本效益，可再生燃料标准的变化，贸易关税的调整，EFNEP和SNAP计划的变化，碳封存以及在农业中使用新烟碱类药物。该中心还负责爱荷华州湖泊估价项目和年度爱荷华州土地价值调查，这是该大学运行时间最长的研究项目之一。
CARD位于爱荷华州立大学农业与生命科学学院（CALS）。CARD是支持CALS使命的几个中心之一。CARD教职员工的附属机构和合作者在CARD工作人员的支持下，在该中心进行研究。通过美国农业部、NSF和EPA、州机构和大学研究计划等政府机构获得的赠款有助于支持我们的研究。
2017年，CARD教师开始与中国农业科学院密切合作开展联合研究项目。这次合作促成了中美中心的成立。农业经济与政策。该中心接待了几位来自中国的访问学者，他们与CARD教师合作研究影响中国和美国的经济政策。
The Center for Agriculture and Rural Development at Iowa State University conducts innovative public policy and economic research on local, regional, and global agricultural issues. CARD uses contemporary and time-honored economic theory, quantitative methods and interdisciplinary approaches to inform, engage and benefit society. CARD communicates research findings with state and federal policymakers, the research community, agricultural, food and environmental groups, individual decision makers, and local and global audiences.
CARD conducts research on a wide range of topics, and research programs focus on the economic, environmental, and social impacts of policy topics such as the cost-effectiveness of the Clean Water Act, changes to renewable fuel standards, adjustments to trade tariffs, changes to EFNEP and SNAP programs, carbon sequestration, and the use of neonicotinoids in agriculture. The center is also responsible for the Iowa Lake Valuation Project and the annual Iowa Land Value Survey, one of the university's longest-running research programs.
CARD is located in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Iowa State University. CARD is one of several centers that support CALS' mission. Affiliates and collaborators of CARD faculty and staff, with the support of CARD staff, conduct research at the center. Grants received through government agencies such as the USDA, NSF and EPA, state agencies, and university research programs help support our research.
In 2017, CARD faculty began working closely with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences on joint research projects. This collaboration led to the establishment of the U.S.-China Center. Agricultural Economics and Policy. The center hosts several visiting scholars from China who collaborate with CARD faculty on research affecting economic policies in China and the United States.