Spotlight Stories
Explore IAWA’s original reporting on the latest conservation news
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USDA to pay farmers for cover crops second year in a row
Posted on[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Image_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget] Farmers who plant cover crops can get a $5 per acre savings on their crop insurance premiums for the second year in a row as part of the Pandemic Cover Crop Program. Farmers must report their cover crop acreage by March 15, 2022 to get payments. The USDA Pandemic Cover Crop Program was created in 2021 to make sure…
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Landowners Collaborate to Improve Water Quality and Soil Health
Posted onCentral Iowa field day revealed owner-tenant partnership success on nitrate reduction, cover crops and prairie strips benefits, and drone seeding. By Kurt Lawton Lee Tesdell isn’t shy about his passion for conservation innovation as the sustainability caretaker and non-farming landowner of Tesdell Century Farm near Slater, Iowa. Attendees at one of his dozen or…
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Polk County Accelerates Water Quality Efforts on Central Iowa Farms
Posted onMore landowners sign up for nitrate filtration practices in farm fields thanks to a visionary new public-private partnership approach that is turnkey and systems-based By Kurt Lawton Creating a scalable system that can move the needle faster to reduce nitrate in Polk County watersheds began by rethinking the entire process of marketing and delivery of…
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Multiple Stakeholders Share Approaches for Source Water Protection
Posted onThe Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance (IAWA) Advisory Council recently met and tackled the important topic of source water protection. Source water refers to sources of water (such as rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs, springs, and groundwater) that provide water to public drinking water supplies and private wells. Cities and agencies are increasingly incorporating source water protection…
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A Passion to Showcase Soil Health Builds Consultant Success
Posted onBy Kurt Lawton Taking a more holistic view of farming — from the health of microbes in the soil to the health of crop profits — has farmers paying attention to a young soil health consultant in eastern Iowa. Mitchell Hora’s data-driven approach to soil biology, combined with his passion for on-farm research and education…
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Iowa Farmers Rely on Cover Crops to Improve Prevent Plant Acres
Posted onBy Kurt Lawton The calendar can’t turn fast enough this year for farmers, many who endured both a soggy #Plant 19 and a wet, snowy #Harvest19, as Twitter posts showcased. Late snow runoff and frequent big storms drenched the Midwest during planting season, which idled 11.4 million acres of corn and 4.4 million acres of…
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Soil Saving Farmers Invest in Practices to Improve Water Quality
Posted on[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Slider_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget] Article and photos by Kurt Lawton In the rolling hills of east-central Iowa in Cedar County, family farmers Ken Fawcett and his nephew Kent Stuart have long used conservation practices that keep the soil at home and healthy. However, it was their desire to improve water quality that led them to the recent installation…
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Improving Iowa’s Water Quality: 5 Things You Need to Know
Posted onWater quality is an important issue in Iowa. At the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance (IAWA), our goal is to increase farmer-led conservation efforts. Together with landowners, partner organizations, and the private sector, we are doing just that. Learn more about five water quality initiatives that are playing a major role in improved water quality across…
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Unique Approach for Landowner Outreach – Letters from Lee Gravel
Posted onBy: Sarah Feehan, IAWA Communications Intern The workplace of the North Raccoon watershed implementation coordinator, Lee Gravel, is designed to accommodate ergonomics for computer work. As a result, Gravel’s standing desk occupies much of his actual “desk” area and handwriting letters can prove difficult. With his ballpoint pen in hand, Gravel leaves his normal work…
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Iowa Delegation Aims for Waves of Change for Water Quality
Posted onBy: Sarah Feehan The Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance (IAWA) and the Iowa Soybean Association will soon lead their third Iowa delegation to the upcoming One Water Summit, convened by the U.S. Water Alliance. Last year, the diverse Iowa delegation included Lee Gravel, watershed coordinator for the Headwaters of the North Raccoon Water Quality Improvement Project…