Projects
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Farmer Demand far exceeds NRCS funding in Iowa; Is new funding on the horizon?
Posted onBy Rebekah Jones STATEWIDE, Iowa – March 28, 2026 – Only about one in five Iowa NRCS applications received conservation funding in 2025, according to NRCS data for three of the most popular farmer programs. Those programs pay for conservation practices like cover crops, prairie, and grazing infrastructure. Why it matters Demand grows, funding shrinks…
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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…
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Streamlined USDA Records Could Mean Faster, Easier Conservation Assistance for Iowa Farmers
Posted onWASHINGTON DC – March 18, 2026 – A new modernization effort from the U.S. Department of Agriculture promises to simplify how farmers interact with federal agencies, an update that could streamline conservation efforts. “Government red tape” and “too much paperwork” are often cited by farmers who avoid USDA service centers and government programs. It’s unsurprising…
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The Secret to Clean Water in Cedar Rapids
Posted onHow the City of Cedar Rapids Treats It’s Drinking Water: A Step-By-Step Process As the second most populous city in Iowa, Cedar Rapids has a massive responsibility to provide clean drinking water to it’s over 138,000 residents. This is something that the city does not take lightly and has an advanced technological approach to accomplishing.…
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Cedar Rapids Farmers are Protecting Soil and Water with Proven Practices
Posted onHow the City of Cedar Rapids Supports Farmers to Implement Water Quality Practices ANKENY, IA — The Cedar River Source Water Partnership (CRSWP) is a $20 million USDA-NRCS funded water quality grant backed by 13 partners from both public and private industries. The grant focuses on building relationships with farmers and supporting the implementation of…
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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…
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Collaboration Shines as Conservation Goes Underground in Benton County
Posted onBy Rebekah Jones BENTON CO. (IAWA) – Six Benton County landowners are installing underground filters to reduce nutrient runoff into Prairie Creek and the Cedar River through the county’s first “batch and build” conservation project. The collaboration brings together Iowa Soybean Association, Middle Cedar Watershed staff, and local contractors to make these edge-of-field practices easier…
Posted in Conservation agronomists, CRSWP, Edge of Field Practices, NE Iowa, RCPP, Spotlight Stories -
Urgent: Jan 15 Deadline for NRCS Conservation Funding
Posted onFarmers interested in USDA-NRCS conservation funding for the 2026 planting season need to get their paperwork in order ASAP to meet the upcoming deadline. The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has officially announced a national batching deadline of January 15, 2026, for the first round of funding for several key programs. While the NRCS…
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Farmer Feature: Emery Davis
Posted onHow one Eastern Iowa farmer makes conservation rewarding By: Micaela Cashman Emery Davis farms in Crawfordsville, Iowa, near the Iowa State Research Farm. His small family farm in the Southern Iowa Drift Plain was shaped by glaciers over 500,000 years ago and has been deeply eroded by streams, rolling hills, and valleys. Sloped land and…
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Tile Contractor Duo Shares Conservation Story
Posted onNew IAWA video shares father/son conservation story: “Who doesn’t want cleaner water? I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t care about water quality, especially if you’re raising a family here,” said Chase Broulik, a tile contractor that partners with his dad to install functional water quality structures on Iowa farms. In this video, the IAWA team…