rjones@iaagwater.org | Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance

The STRIPS Project – A brief history

Posted on November 2, 2023

By Dan Looker ANKENY, Iowa (IAWA) – In 2007, a group of Iowa State University researchers started testing the concept of mixing the advantages of tallgrass prairie with row crops, an effort they dubbed “Science-based Trials of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairie Strips,” or STRIPS. One advantage prairie plants have is their roots, which reach up to…

Prairie fuel – A new market for prairie hay

rjones@iaagwater.org

Posted on November 1, 2023

Categories: Prairie, Uncategorized

By Dan Looker ANKENY, Iowa (IAWA) – Iowa farmers who plant prairie strips may soon have a new source of revenue for harvesting them. This spring, St. Louis-based Roeslein Alternative Energy finalized an $80-million USDA contract under the department’s Climate Smart Commodities program, which will allow the company to compensate farmers who harvest prairie hay. That…

When it comes to better soil health, context is key

rjones@iaagwater.org

Posted on September 29, 2023

Categories: Cover Crops, Farmers for Soil Health, MAWQP, New, Nutrient Management, Spotlight Stories

New Soil Health Interpretation Portal gives customized, “apples-to-apples” insights ANKENY, Iowa (IAWA) – It’s no secret that Iowa is blessed with great cropland, and the Iowa Soybean Association’s new, free-to-use Soil Health Interpretation Portal (SHIP) is helping farmers get the most out of their top-notch topsoil. The SHIP shows farmers how their soil is performing in the…

Reap the rewards of better drainage practices with free land upgrades on your farm

rjones@iaagwater.org

Posted on September 26, 2023

Categories: Edge of Field Practices, ISACD, New, Nutrient Management, Public-Private Partnerships, Spotlight Stories

Iowa farmers face ag drainage problems. There are solutions. When farm field runoff flows through traditional tile drainage structures, water doesn’t have a chance to slow down and infiltrate the soil. This is not good for drought resiliency – which is becoming even more important as we face more dry summers. It also leads to…

City of Cedar Rapids’ Mary Beth Stevenson earns IAWA Public Impact award, honored at Iowa Watershed Awards

rjones@iaagwater.org

Posted on September 19, 2023

Categories: CRSWP, New, Press release, Public-Private Partnerships, Spotlight Stories

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (IAWA) – City of Cedar Rapids Watersheds & Source Water Program Manager Mary Beth Stevenson has been named the winner of the 2023 Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance (IAWA) Public Impact Award for her impressive partnership efforts, urban-rural focus, and her role in increasing the pace and scale of water quality practices in…

DNR’s Josh Balk named IAWA Watershed Coordinator of the Year, honored at Iowa Watershed Awards

rjones@iaagwater.org

Posted on September 19, 2023

Categories: NE Iowa, New, Press release, Public-Private Partnerships, Spotlight Stories, Watershed Awards

WATERLOO, Iowa (IAWA) – Josh Balk’s dedication to improving water quality in the Cedar River watershed is being recognized with the 2023 IAWA Watershed Coordinator of the Year award, an honor given to one outstanding Iowa watershed coordinator each year. In his role as an Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) watershed and source water…

Agri Drain, ESE founder Charlie Schafer earns IAWA Private Impact award, honored at Iowa Watershed Awards

rjones@iaagwater.org

Posted on September 19, 2023

Categories: Business Council Feature, Central Iowa, Edge of Field Practices, ISACD, New, Public-Private Partnerships, Spotlight Stories

ADAIR, Iowa (IAWA) – Agri Drain Corporation and Ecosystems Services Exchange (ESE) founder and leader Charlie Schafer has been named the winner of the 2023 Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance (IAWA) Private Impact Award, which will be presented at the Iowa Water Conference next week in Altoona. Schafer’s leadership at Agri Drain, ESE, and numerous ag…

Weather conditions and fertilizer prices result in challenges but also opportunities

rjones@iaagwater.org

Posted on August 22, 2023

Categories: Business Council Feature, Press release, Spotlight Stories

Nitrogen stabilizers and nitrogen research to be the focus of a Central Iowa Field Day By IAWA and Verdesian, an IAWA Business Council member With nitrogen prices increasing over the past few years, growers have their minds squarely on fertilizer costs. Throw into the mix weather volatility (what else is new?), and farmers are…

From ditches to riches, restored prairie builds healthy Iowa soil

rjones@iaagwater.org

Posted on July 24, 2023

Categories: New, Prairie, Public-Private Partnerships, Spotlight Stories

By Adam Sodders ST. ANTHONY, Iowa (IAWA) – In Marshall County, a 105-acre patch of restored prairie gives a glimpse into Iowa’s past and serves as an example of the impact that long-term conservation work can have. That same patch is where Carl Kurtz has called home all of his 77 years, more than half…

Relationships, trust key to a sustainable future in Iowa agriculture

rjones@iaagwater.org

Posted on July 17, 2023

Categories: Conservation agronomists, Cover Crops, Edge of Field Practices, ISACD, New, Public-Private Partnerships, RCPP, Spotlight Stories

Ag retailers join forces with farmers, local officials to scale up conservation practices in the Cedar River Source Water Partnership By Adam Sodders, IAWA NEWHALL, Iowa (IAWA) – In the rolling hills of eastern Iowa’s Cedar River watershed, an exciting new kind of soil and water conservation partnership is finding success. As interest in improving…

Author: rjones@iaagwater.org