What We Do

Collaborative Problem Solving

Iowa has ambitious conservation goals — like planting 12 million acres of cover crops and installing hundreds of bioreactors. Achieving this isn’t a one-person job; it requires collaboration across farms, businesses, and communities. Reaching the targets set by the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy will take shared effort, resources, and innovation. That’s why every project we take on is built on partnership.

Working together isn’t just something we do—it’s the foundation of IAWA. Launched in 2014 by the Iowa Corn, Pork, and Soybean Associations, our mission has always been about bringing people together to find and implement water quality solutions. These organizations continue to guide our work, teaming up with us to support farmers across the state. See how our partners are driving change:

IAWA believes in market-based solutions to improve water quality. Those are solutions that fit into businesses strategically, like conservation products and consulting, and on-farm practices that make financial sense. Supported by business donations, IAWA leads a Business Council made up of both large and small companies committed to water quality. Member executives and sustainability leaders meet quarterly to network, learn, and collaborate on solutions.

Led by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and Iowa State University Vice President Jason Henderson, the IAWA Advisory Council works together to uncover solutions on and off the farm. IAWA brings this group of water quality experts together several times per year to share the latest advancements in agriculture and conservation work.

Iowa Systems Approach to Conservation Drainage

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Midwest Ag Water Quality Partnership

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IAWA is a leader in creating impact-driving partnerships worth millions of dollars! The biggest example of this leadership is involvement in projects created through USDA-NRCS’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program, or RCPP.

These projects are made to get conservation on the ground by connecting public entities with private entities for the most impact. We co-lead the Midwest Ag Water Quality Partnership. It’s the largest RCPP in the nation thanks to the 50+ partners contributing!