Practices
-
Data centers and water: economic growth or environmental threat?
Posted onData centers aren’t new, but they’ve been getting an increasing amount of attention as tech companies work to meet the demands of an increasingly online society. In this article, IAWA breaks down the pros and cons of data center investments and corrects common misinformation. By Dan Looker Key Takeaways Water availability: Location matters. Some utilities…
-
Cover crops get big boost in 22 Iowa counties
Posted on*Adapted from Iowa Dept of Ag & Land Stewardship press release DES MOINES, Iowa – Farmers in 22 counties upstream of the Des Moines area will have access to more cover crop cost share from a newly announced initiative called the “Greater Des Moines Watershed Program.” The initiative has goals to accelerate and scale up the…
-
Nutrient Reduction Strategy Dashboards Receive New Updates, Show Positive Trends
Posted onRecently, the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy Interactive Dashboards received an update with 2024 data. With nearly every data set showing an improvement, here are some highlights from two of the updated dashboards, “Land Use and In-Field Practices” and “Edge-of-Field Practices and Structural Erosion Control.” If you’re interested in exploring the data for yourself, visit the…
-
New IAWA Resource Helps Farmers, Public Break Down Complex Cycle
Posted onNitrogen makes up 78% of Earth’s atmosphere; it is an essential building block for life, and it is also a topic of many water quality discussions in Iowa. With Iowa’s water nitrate level a concern for many, it is understandable that people have questions like what it is, how it works, and why farmers are…
-
Cover crop interest strong, despite tough farm economy
Posted onBy Dan Looker, IAWA writer DES MOINES, Iowa – March 25, 2026 – In a struggling farm economy, will Iowa’s progress with cover crops be dragged down by burdensome operational costs and prices? It’s too early to tell, but our insights say, “no.” Multiple vendors of cover crop seed and cost share say demand continues…
-
Farmers have rising concerns about soil compaction
Posted onDES MOINES, Iowa – March 24, 2026 – Conservation adoption is often motivated by financial factors like improved yields with soil health or reduced inputs using cover crops. Another related factor is emerging as a top concern: compaction. This knowledge could help conservation professionals and agronomists promote compaction reducing practices like cover crops, which also…
-
Popular Iowa livestock program gets green light for 3 more years
Posted onSouthwest Iowa – March 24, 2026 – A newly announced extension of Iowa’s Cattle and Conservation Working Lands Project through 2028 signals growing momentum behind a simple idea: healthier soil leads to cleaner water—and grazing can help deliver both. Secretary Mike Naig announced the extension this month (March 2, 2026). The project is active in…
-
Farmer Feature: Bob Puetz
Posted onHog farmer uses conservation to prepare land for next generation By Micaela Cashman In the gently rolling hills of northwest Plymouth County, Bob Puetz has spent a lifetime farming the land he calls home. The region, once dominated by tallgrass prairie, is rich with loam soil. But with erosion risk on slopes and naturally poor…
-
Farmer Feature: Ross Kurash
Posted onRoss Kurash’s Recipe for Conservation Success: Recognition + Education + Implementation By Micaela Cashman Ross Kurash and his wife, Cassie, farm in northeast Iowa on the border of the Paleozoic Plateau, also known as the “Driftless Region.” This region is very different from the rest of the state, with steep bluffs, dense woodland, and rugged…
-
Registration Open: Advanced Soil Health Training in Eastern Iowa
Posted onRoots to Results, an advanced soil health workshop program is accepting applications for agriculture professionals, watershed professionals, farmers, and crop advisors in Dubuque County. The year-long “Roots to Results” program includes four two-day sessions starting February 9-10, with only 35 spots available. Download the event brochure here. What You’ll Gain Participants work directly with leading…