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What is a dead zone?

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WASHINGTON — Dead Zones are an area with no living beings. When a dead zone occurs within a waterbody, that zone has no aquatic life. Dead zones can be found around the world. They are a problem for coastal waters, bays, and lakes. The Soil Science Society of America’s (SSSA) May 1st Soils Matter blog reviews dead zones and practices that are reducing their size.

According to blogger Janith Chandrasoma, Dead Zones are typically caused by excess nutrients in the water, such as nitrogen and phosphorus. These nutrients cause an overgrowth of algae in a short period, commonly called “algae bloom.” As these microscopic “plants” grow, they consume oxygen in the water. And their multiplying population blocks sunlight for underwater plants. In addition, when the algae die, they sink to the bottom. As they decompose, more oxygen is consumed.

This little- to no-oxygen environment makes it impossible for aquatic life to survive. Larger organisms who require oxygen begin to die in large numbers creating a dead zone.

Also, these algal blooms contaminate drinking water and cause illnesses to animals and humans by releasing toxins.

Scientists who have been studying the Mississippi River Basin dead zone have worked together to create an action plan. The goal is to reduce excess nitrogen and phosphorus carried into the Mississippi River Basin. Federal and state agencies, universities, and other non-profit organizations work together to identify how each state can reduce pollution from wastewater treatment plants, factories, agriculture practices, and stormwater.

Edge-of Field Practices

Nitrogen and phosphorus are essential for agriculture. Without those, there will not be enough food to support the growing population. Famers provide nitrogen and phosphorus to their crops through fertilizer and animal manure. Because nitrogen is highly water-soluble and phosphorus attaches to the soil, these elements are highly vulnerable to moving away from the source with rainfall and runoff.

“Edge-of-field” practices are located at the edge of the farm field. They work to reduce the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus going to local water bodies such as streams, rivers, ditches, and lakes.

Vegetated Buffers

A vegetated buffer is a section of land between a farm field and a water body (stream, ditch, or a small lake) that has natural or established vegetation. Filter strips and riparian buffers are types of vegetated buffers. They slow stormwater runoff and reduce soil and stream bank erosion. Prairie strips are also a vegetated buffer that protects soil from runoff water, improves soil water recharge, and provides habitat for pollinators and wildlife.

Grassed Waterway

Grassed waterways are a section of farmland that grows grasses or other non-crop vegetation. They are graded (sloped) channels (man-made or natural) planted with perennial grass or appropriate vegetation. The growing grasses and vegetation slow down the runoff water and trap sediments. Grassed waterways are an excellent solution for gully erosion and stop phosphorus movement with sediment. Some consider grass waterways as an in-field practice.

Saturated buffers

Saturated buffers are a conversion of a riparian buffer. Saturated buffers can treat tile drainage water to remove nitrogen while removing other nutrients from runoff water. Midwest farmland has drainage systems to drain excess water, which allows for planting earlier during wet springs. These drainage outlets go through the buffers and discharge to nearby ditches or streams. Saturated buffers carry part of that tile drainage through the buffer by a perforated distribution pipe (underground, of course). The tile water slowly moves to the ditch or streams through the soil, and microbes in the soil convert nitrate in tile water to harmless nitrogen gas.

Denitrifying Woodchip Bioreactors

Woodchip bioreactors are also engineered to remove nitrogen from tile drainage water. Like saturated buffers, the tile drainage is diverted into a woodchip-filled trench that lets the tile water move through the woodchip media. The microbes naturally live on soil which also presents in woodchips (and tile drainage water) convert nitrate in tile water to nitrogen gas as in saturated buffers. Practices like woodchip bioreactors need to have a tile drainage outlet to be installed. (Click here see a video about denitrifying woodchip bioreactors.)

Drainage water management

Drainage water management reduces the annual tile flow volume through the outlet. Reducing tile flow volume (tile drainage) also reduces the nitrogen and phosphorus that move out from the field. A water control structure installed intercepting the outlet enables the control of flow volume leaving the field. Like woodchip bioreactors, drainage water management needs to have a tile drainage outlet to be installed.

Constructed Wetlands

Constructed wetlands are an artificially engineered environment that reduces nitrogen, phosphorus, other chemicals, and sediments from farm fields. They are designed in a way to intercept tile drainage and field runoff to prevent nutrients from moving downstream. They also provide habitat for wildlife, pollinators, and some aquatic species.

Two-stage ditches

Two-stage ditches are designed to carry drainage from a field and modified by adding a vegetated floodplain bench. The vegetated benches reduce the flow speed downstream and increase sediment deposition. The growing vegetation use some nutrients for their growth.

To read the full blog, visit https://soilsmatter.wordpress.com/2022/05/1/what-is-a-dead-zone/

2022 marks the 50-year anniversary of the Clean Water Act. This Act aims to restore and maintain the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of the nation’s water resources. Soil Science Society of America, Crop Science Society of America, and American Society of Agronomy are celebrating the Act by collecting blogs, news stories and research papers here. Be sure to subscribe to the Soils Matter blog to get updated information: https://soilsmatter.wordpress.com

Follow SSSA on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SSSA.soils, Twitter at SSSA_Soils. SSSA has soils information on www.soils.org/discover-soils, for teachers at www.soils4teachers.org, and for students through 12th grade, www.soils4kids.org.

–Soil Science Society of America

ACWA elects new officers, releases report

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ANKENY, Iowa — Agriculture’s Clean Water Alliance (ACWA), comprised of ag retailers across Iowa, elected officers at their board of directors meeting in late February, their first meeting of the new fiscal year.

Mark Kriegshauser with Helena Agri-Enterprises was elected president. Dan Dix of NEW Cooperative was re-elected as vice president. Dan Asklund with Van Diest Supply will serve as secretary, and Thomas Fawcett, Heartland Cooperative, was elected treasurer.

ACWA members are comprised of agricultural retailers who are in direct competition but have been united for more than 20 years in the goal of improving and protecting Iowa’s water quality while maintaining profitability for their clients.

At the recent ACWA board meeting, directors reviewed the status of the current work plan and approved the work plan for fiscal year 2022. One of the priorities of the work plan has been the expansion of membership across the state, beyond the group’s original boundaries of the Des Moines and Raccoon River watersheds. This effort continues to be a priority this year and into the future.

“The support and collaboration of ag retailers and associate members has had a substantial impact in the Des Moines and Raccoon River watersheds over the past 22 years,” says Kriegshauser. “It’s important we share these learnings and successes with farmers across the state in order to continue our mission of protecting our water and soil.”

The ACWA board also recognized successes in the Farm to River Partnership, a project that ACWA oversees in the North Raccoon watershed, now in its fourth year. The goals are to increase edge-of-field practices such as bioreactors, saturated buffers and targeted wetlands, and increase cover crop acres on farmland to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus entering rivers and streams.

Support for Conservation Agronomist positions is also gaining ground. ACWA launched the concept of embedding experts in agricultural conservation practices with ag retailers to work in tandem with staff field agronomists. The network of Conservation Agronomists continues to expand across the state.

Because of these collaborative efforts, ACWA is evolving the rural landscape of Iowa. In the Des Moines and Raccoon River priority watersheds, more than 1,400 acres have moved to no-till or strip-tillage; 40 edge-of-field practices have been enrolled in cost-share programs; and cover crops are on 24,400 new acres. The implemented conservation practices have resulted in the reduction of 245,000 pounds of nitrogen loss and more than 8,600 pounds of phosphorus loss.

“All these efforts will continue in the new work plan,” says Roger Wolf, ACWA executive director. “We intend to secure new ACWA members and expand our program’s offerings by growing support for conservation agronomists. Our internal work groups are providing a strong leadership voice as we implement the work plan and continue to evolve.”

2021 Annual Report Released

The ACWA 2021 Annual Report has recently been published and is on the website. Highlights include an overview of the three Core Pillars — an outcome from the group’s strategic planning — Leader and Advocate, Innovate and Sustain, and Science to Solutions. A component of the Core Pillars includes the establishment of three work groups to advance the organization’s goals: Membership Services, Programs and Projects, and Communications. Other highlights include updates on the water monitoring program, conservation agronomists, Farm to River Partnership, and the ACWA Code of Practice.

For more information about ACWA and to read the annual report, visit www.awcaiowa.com

Agriculture’s Clean Water Alliance (ACWA) is a non-profit association whose mission is identifying and advancing solutions that reduce nutrient loss, build healthier soils, and improve Iowa’s waters. ACWA is recognized for its ability to build upon its members’ extensive relationship with farmers across Iowa.

— Agriculture’s Clean Water Alliance

How do we solve ag nutrient runoff?

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URBANA, Ill. — Agricultural runoff from Midwestern farms is a major contributor to a vast “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico. Nitrogen, phosphorous and other farm nutrients drain into the Mississippi River, which empties into the Gulf, spurring algae to overpopulate and suffocating other aquatic life.

Illinois is a main culprit in this ongoing environmental blight. News Bureau life sciences editor Diana Yates spoke with University of Illinois natural resources and environmental sciences researcher Lowell Gentry about possible solutions.

How big is the Gulf of Mexico dead zone today and how much does Illinois agriculture contribute to the problem?

Last summer, researchers at Louisiana State University measured the dead zone in the Gulf at 6,334 square miles, which was larger than its historical average. The largest ever measured was 8,776 square miles in 2017. In Illinois, nonpoint sources (of which, agriculture is, by far, the greatest) contribute 80% of the nitrogen and about half of the phosphorus to our rivers and streams. Illinois and Iowa are the greatest contributors of nutrients to the Gulf and both states have developed nutrient loss-reduction strategies, with the goal of reducing nitrogen and phosphorus losses by 45% by 2035.

We’ve known about this problem for years. Why is Illinois still struggling to reduce nutrient runoff from farms?

The answer is complicated. Many people think that nutrient losses from farm fields are simply a matter of excessive fertilizer application and that farmers just need to use less. In one of our tile-drainage studies, we used only 75% of the full nitrogen fertilizer rate on corn. This reduced grain yield by 10% but had little effect on tile nitrate losses over the course of the study.

There is no doubt, however, that the timing and method of nutrient application can have a great effect on nutrient losses in the tile-drained regions of the state. For example, our studies show that much more nitrate is lost to the tiles when nitrogen fertilizer is applied in the fall rather than in the spring, just ahead of corn planting.

Soybean production also aggravates nitrate losses to tile-drainage systems. We believe this nitrate forms as a result of microbial decomposition of crop residues and soil organic matter when the soil microbial community runs out of easily accessible carbon. The nitrate that forms during the nongrowing season is susceptible to leaching losses. This is a leak in the system that is not being addressed.

There are many state programs to encourage farmers to address the problem. Do some programs work better than others?

It’s way too early to see an effect of conservation efforts on the Mississippi River Basin as a whole. Closer to home, we have been sampling the Embarras River at Camargo, Illinois, for 30 years and see little evidence of water quality improvement during this time. However, we are still in the baseline phase of this long-term monitoring project because there are few conservation practices on the ground here in central Illinois that could bring about the dramatic change sought.

Three programs here are moving farmers toward greater adoption of conservation: Fall Covers for Spring Savings, the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s cover crop program; Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources, a Champaign County Soil and Water Conservation program that teaches farmers about nutrient stewardship; and Precision Conservation Management, a program developed by the Illinois Corn Growers Association that aims to help farmers reap the economic benefits of engaging in conservation practices.

What are bioreactors and how well do they work?

Bioreactors are trenches filled with woodchips that receive tile-drainage water and use the biologically mediated process of denitrification to remove nitrate, similar to constructed wetlands but with a much smaller design footprint. We are currently evaluating the performance of six bioreactors on a farm in Piatt County. So far, their performance has been disappointing, with less than 20% of the tile nitrate removed. But now we are investigating whether soil caps on top of the woodchips will improve performance and increase the lifespan of the bioreactors. Extremely wet years are going to be a real challenge for end-of-pipe strategies, so bioreactors remain a work-in-progress.

Does building new wetland or wildflower buffers help hold nutrients in place?

Our studies of constructed wetlands found that they remove 50% of the tile nitrate. They also provide a host of other wildlife and ecosystem service benefits. However, their placement is constrained by topography. Wetlands cannot be built in just any location. They must be situated in areas that allow them to retain enough tile water for treatment without causing flooding back into the fields. Also, their installation may require land being taken out of production, which greatly decreases their attractiveness to farmers. Wildflower buffers are great for pollinators and can help with soil erosion but have limited impact on reducing nutrient losses in tile-drained fields.

How can farmers improve soil carbon and how does that reduce nutrient runoff?

This is the most critical question that we can ask today. Loss of soil carbon under conventional agriculture in tile-drained fields is still occurring. We need to halt soil carbon losses and better yet, try to increase the carbon content of agricultural soils. I believe that tile nitrate losses are a result of soil carbon losses because the carbon and nitrogen cycles are inextricably linked.

Since World War II, we have somewhat decoupled the nitrogen and carbon cycles by switching from manure to inorganic nitrogen fertilizers. Adding nitrogen to the soil without adding enough carbon makes the system leaky – especially in wet years. Tilling less and planting overwintering grass cover crops like cereal rye are the best ways to address soil-carbon losses and attempt to reverse the trend of declining carbon stocks in the soil. Cereal rye also is an excellent nitrogen “catch crop,” as we routinely find reductions in tile nitrate of more than 40% when cereal rye is grown ahead of soybean.

Which approaches are most economical?

Few long-term studies have been carried out to address this question. We need more data to create models that can better evaluate the costs and benefits of various conservation practices. Strategically, I believe that in-field solutions such as planting winter cover crops are the best path forward, as they can directly affect carbon cycling, nutrient availability and overall soil health.

End-of-pipe technologies like bioreactors and saturated riparian buffers do little for soil health but may be more attractive to farmers, as they do not require them to change their practices in the field and therefore carry little risk to production. While winter cover crops add annual costs and risks that could reduce crop yield and profit margins, they capture nitrate outside the regular growing season, keeping it out of the tiles and retaining it in the field. Some of this nitrogen is available to the next row crop.

In a proof-of-concept study, my colleagues and I compared the economics and tile-nitrate losses between a corn-soybean-wheat rotation (with double-cropped soybean following wheat, and cereal rye after corn) and a conventionally grown corn-soybean rotation. That study showed that the grower made the same profit and reduced tile-nitrate losses more than 30% over a six-year period with the more diverse rotation. This past year, corn in the diverse rotation yielded 25 bushels more per acre than conventionally grown corn. This indicates that a more diverse rotation can increase nitrate cycling and benefit crop yield while reducing losses of nitrate to agricultural drainage tiles.

— University of Illinois ACES

New regulations, limits on Enlist herbicide use by farmers

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COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Cotton, corn and soybean producers in 22 Texas counties will be restricted on the use of two popular herbicides this growing season after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency renews registrations.

The EPA granted new registrations and labels for Corteva’s Enlist One and Enlist Duo herbicides, but with additional requirements and a list of counties across the U.S. where their use will be banned.

Scott Nolte, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service state weed specialist, said AgriLife Extension continues to offer agriculture producers training to meet federal and state guidelines for the use of dicamba and 2,4-D, and this new information is being incorporated into those trainings.

Over the next few months, AgriLife Extension will offer producers multiple opportunities to complete their Auxin-Specific Certification Training for this growing season. EPA also renewed three dicamba herbicide labels – Engenia, Tavium and Xtendimax – in 2020 and made updates to the application requirements. The 2022 trainings will include information about all the recent changes.

Products banned in Texas counties

Enlist One and Enlist Duo are 2,4-D-based pesticides for over-the-top use in 2,4-D-tolerant cotton, corn and soybeans to help control broadleaf weeds. They were registered for five years in 2017, and that registration was set to expire on Jan. 12.

The new registration was issued on Jan. 11, and will be in place for seven years, said Tiffany Lashmet, J.D., AgriLife Extension agriculture law specialist, Amarillo. The new label adds several new requirements to protect endangered species, pollinators and habitats, and limit off-target drift.

The labels prohibit the use of Enlist Duo in 217 counties in 21 states and prohibit the use of Enlist One in 169 counties in 14 states. The EPA said this prohibition is “in counties where EPA has identified risks to listed species that use corn, cotton or soybean fields for diet and/or habitat.”

In Texas, the use of Enlist Duo is prohibited in the following counties: Bastrop, Bell, Bowie, Burleson, Cameron, Colorado, Cooke, Fannin, Grayson, Hidalgo, Hill, Lamar, McLennan, Milam, Nueces, Red River, Refugio, Robertson, San Patricio, Victoria, Willacy and Williamson.

In Texas, the use of Enlist One is prohibited in the following counties: Bell, Bowie, Cameron, Cooke, Fannin, Grayson, Hidalgo, Hill, Lamar, McLennan, Nueces, Red River, San Patricio, Willacy and Williamson.

New Label Requirements

The new label requirements include, but are not limited to:

  • No application permitted after soybean and cotton crops are in bloom and might attract pollinators.
  • No application permitted when rainfall is expected within 48 hours or soil is fully saturated.
  • No irrigation that could produce runoff within 48 hours of application.
  • Runoff reduction measures required.
  • Only approved tank mixes, nozzles and spray pressures allowed.
  • Downwind 30-foot infield buffer required to protect sensitive areas.
  • Corteva to provide mandatory education and training about importance of pollinators.

Training information

Various trainings have been scheduled around the state where dicamba and 2,4-D products are used. Check with your local AgriLife Extension county agent to find the closest training.

The first of five trainings for the Lubbock region will be on Jan. 21, and the remaining trainings on Feb. 14, March 10, April 8 and May 13. Each one-hour training will have a fee of $10 and start at 9 a.m. The in-person trainings will be at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center for Lubbock, 1102 Drew St. Online versions will be conducted via Zoom.

To participate in one of these trainings, attendees must preregister at least one day before the session and select whether they will be attending in person or online. Those attending online will receive further instructions.

–Kay Ledbetter
Texas A&M AgriLife Today

Making water quality impacts at edge of field

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AMES, Iowa — The Iowa Learning Farms (ILF) conservation webinar taking place Jan. 12 at noon CST will feature Matt Helmers, professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at ISU and director of the Iowa Nutrient Research Center.

Helmers leads research on the impact of agricultural management and conservation practices on water quality. He will draw on his expertise with field drainage systems and drainage water quality in this session.

In the webinar, “Better Utilizing the Field Edge: Saturated Buffers and Bioreactors,” Helmers will overview a broad range of edge of field practices that can help remove nitrates from drainage water and prevent or reduce loss to waterways. He will also take a closer look at how saturated buffers and bioreactors can address the increasing nitrate levels being found in drainage water from tile systems. The session will also highlight educational tools that can be used to improve understanding of these practices and factors to consider in selecting and siting practices for success.

“Edge of field practices such as bioreactors, saturated buffers, wetlands and oxbows have potential to remove nitrate before it can be delivered to the stream, but must be utilized in the correct sites and circumstances,” said Helmers. “The good news is that there are so many different edge of field practice options, there should be at least one good match for every farm, field or situation. All of these practices play a role in reducing downstream nitrate delivery and are critical for local and regional water quality improvement.”

Participants in Iowa Learning Farms Conservation Webinars are encouraged to ask questions of the presenters. People from all backgrounds and areas of interest are encouraged to join.

Webinar Access Instructions

To participate in the live webinar, shortly before noon CST Jan. 12:

Click this URL, or type this web address into your internet browser: https://iastate.zoom.us/j/364284172
Or, go to https://iastate.zoom.us/join and enter meeting ID: 364 284 172

Or, join from a dial-in phone line:
Dial: +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 876 9923
Meeting ID: 364 284 172

The webinar will also be recorded and archived on the ILF website, so that it can be watched at any time. Archived webinars are available at: https://www.iowalearningfarms.org/page/webinars.

A Certified Crop Adviser board-approved continuing education unit (CEU) has been applied for. Those who participate in the live webinar are eligible. Information about how to apply to receive the credit will be provided at the end of the live webinar.

About Iowa Learning Farms:

Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a Culture of Conservation by encouraging adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable. Partners of Iowa Learning Farms include the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources, EPA Section 319 Grant Program and GROWMARK, Inc.

— Iowa Learning Farms

Research shows more riparian buffer strips can protect our waterways

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WASHINGTON — A new study suggests we may have more opportunities to protect our waterways. That’s because one system for keeping too many nutrients out of streams could be used more widely than it is now.

Known as saturated riparian buffer strips, the system slows down and redirects water coming off farm fields. Water passes through a strip of land planted with native plants (the buffer). The technique allows more nitrogen to get absorbed by plants or turn into nitrogen in the air. The system is affordable and fairly simple, and it can remove up to 92% of nitrate, a form of nitrogen.

Without edge-of-field technologies like buffer strips, farmland often spills excess nutrients from fertilizers into nearby streams. Those nutrients degrade water quality and can kill wildlife. But one effective way to reduce the spread of nutrients is a special buffer between crops and streams.

The new study discovered that these buffers could be installed in more places than previously thought. By expanding the sites where the buffers are placed, farmers could protect more of their local streams. “Limiting nutrient transport off of fields and into waterbodies prevents overgrowth of harmful algae and protects in-stream ecosystems,” says Loulou Dickey, researcher at Iowa State University, who led the research.

The study was recently published in the Journal of Environmental Quality, a publication of the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America.

Current guidelines limit where the riparian buffers should be installed. One big concern is that the redirected flow of water will weaken the streambank. If the streambank erodes and falls into the stream, it hurts water quality and damages the land. The buffers are limited to banks that are not too tall, in hopes this protects the banks from damage.

Dickey’s team tested the assumption about bank height. They also looked at how adding in a new riparian buffer affected streambank stability. They combined real-world data collection with models of hundreds of possible scenarios. “We wanted to help practitioners and designers to make determinations about site suitability in the future,” says Dickey. “Therefore, we needed to include a wide range of possible site conditions.”

The team found that most streambanks turned out fine once the farmer added a new riparian buffer. Only in about three percent of the scenarios did the new water’s flow through the soil endanger the stability of the bank. The conditions where the bank failed included sandy soils that didn’t hold together very well and riparian buffers that were less than six feet wide Those situations are unlikely to happen in the real world, says Dickey.

The biggest predictor of a failing streambank was one that was already unstable. “If the streambank is already failing, it is likely to continue to do so, but if the bank is relatively stable, it will likely remain stable even with saturated riparian buffer flow,” Dickey says.

The height of the streambank also didn’t predict the future stability. Instead, a bank that was too steep was more likely to fail. Steep streambanks have always been at risk of erosion. The takeaway is that many sites that used to be off limits could be good candidates for new riparian buffers.

“I hope our work will give farmers and landowners the confidence to install more saturated riparian buffer strips,” says Dickey. “I also hope farmers know how grateful we are to have the opportunity to study these practices because of their support.”

Expanding the use of the saturated riparian buffer could give farmers a straightforward and cost-effective way to protect their land’s water quality. That’s a boon for the farmer – and for everyone downstream.

This work was supported by Iowa NRCS grant no. NR186114XXXXG006 from the USDA. Loulou Dickey was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under grant no. DGE-1828942 during work on this research.

–American Society of Agronomy
Soil Science Society of America
Crop Science Society of America

Bioreactor and Saturated Buffer Workshop

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AMES, Iowa — Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Heartland Cooperative and Agricultural Drainage Management Coalition, is hosting a farmer and landowner workshop on Wednesday, Jan. 19 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Tron Scott’s farm near Slater to discuss bioreactor and saturated buffer edge-of-field practices. The free event is open to farmers and landowners and includes a complimentary meal.

Saturated buffers and bioreactors have been prioritized by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship as they are some of the most cost-effective methods to improve water quality. These practices can be located within existing filter strips and are designed to work with the drainage system of the field. There are now numerous programs with financial and technical assistance available to encourage farmers and landowners to install these critical practices.

Join us to learn more about how these practices work through the demonstration of the Conservation On The Edge trailer. Ruth McCabe, conservation agronomist with Heartland Cooperative, and Keegan Kult, executive director for Agricultural Drainage Management Coalition, will provide information and technical assistance to help decide if they can work on your farmland and discuss possible funding opportunities to assist with installation.

The workshop will be at 3961 NW 158th Ave, Slater. From Slater, head south on 510th Ave/Linn St for 1 mile and continue on NW 44th St for 1 more mile. Turn left to head east on NW 158th Ave. The farm is locate on the north side of the road.

The workshop is free and open to farmers and landowners. Space is limited, so reservations are required to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP please contact Liz Ripley at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu.  Each attendee will receive a Heartland baseball hat and will be entered in a drawing that evening for several door prizes including an insulated cooler, insulated mug, and ISU Prairie Strips honey.

Iowa Learning Farms field days and workshops are supported by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. For more information about Iowa Learning Farms, visit www.iowalearningfarms.org.

Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a Culture of Conservation by encouraging adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable. Partners of Iowa Learning Farms include the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources(USEPA section 319) and GROWMARK, Inc.

— Iowa Learning Farms

Field days kept growers informed during 2021

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AMES, Iowa — Following a year of cancellations and remote learning, field days at Iowa State University’s research farms were mostly back to normal in 2021.

The return to in-person events was welcomed by educators and farmers alike – allowing for the visual demonstrations and learning opportunities that producers depend upon.

“Face-to-face interaction is an important learning tool and a great way to build our relationships with our stakeholders,” said Jay Harmon, associate dean in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director for agriculture and natural resources with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “Seeing the speakers and the crops or animals first-hand in real time is a powerful learning setting.”

Iowa State operates 15 research farms across the state, featuring crop and livestock agriculture, forestry and horticulture. Field days give farmers and the public a chance to see research projects in progress and talk with the researchers involved in the experiments.

By late spring and into summer, most research farms were preparing to hold drought-related field days, based on the dry spell that plagued most of the state. Despite most of the state being in some form of drought, rainfall came at the right time for many growers, and yields ended up better than expected.

April through September precipitation was below normal at all locations except southeast Iowa. Central and east central Iowa were the driest with Ames about 55 to 60% of normal precipitation and Cedar Rapids and Dubuque at 50% normal for the period.

“For the most part, yields were still excellent,” said Mark Honeyman, associate dean for operations at Iowa State. “Nevertheless, there were some crop pest issues related to weeds, diseases and insects, and our specialists built those into their presentations accordingly.”

Nearly 10,500 people visited the farms during 2021, about 62% of pre-covid levels. There were 61 events or field days held, or about 70% of pre-covid events.

Topics in 2021 included saturated riparian forest buffers, water quality plots with poultry manure, cover crops, strip tillage, honey production, and the replanting of several hundred apple trees following the derecho storm damage of 2020.

In September, the Western Research Farm held its 75th anniversary, near Castana. The farm is located in the Loess Hills and was founded in 1946, making it the third oldest farm in the Iowa State system.

The two-day event featured a presentation to youth, by Dan Robison, endowed dean’s chair in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State, and a talk by Jay Harmon on the following day.

For more information about the farms, visit the research farm website, or contact Honeyman at 515-294-4621 or honeyman@iastate.edu.

— Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

Whole Farm Conservation Manual awarded

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AMES, Iowa — The Conservation Learning Group, a think tank based at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and dedicated to addressing conservation and environmental challenges, has been recognized by the American Society of Agronomy for its Whole Farm Conservation Best Practices Manual.

The manual was named as the first-place recipient of a Certificate of Excellence for long publications in the ASA Extension Education Community Educational Materials Awards Program. The award was announced at the organization’s annual meeting held in Salt Lake City.

In selecting the manual for this award, the judges noted its superior quality. The manual is a full color, 61-page publication created through a consensus building process in partnership with landowners and farmers, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa NRCS, Practical Farmers of Iowa, Iowa Soybean Association, National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment, Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance, Soil and Water Conservation Society and ISU Extension and Outreach.

“We are honored to have our work recognized by the ASA in its Educational Materials Award Program,” said Mark Licht, assistant professor in agronomy and cropping systems specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “The manual is designed as a hands-on guide for farmers and landowners to use in assessing which conservation practices may be appropriate for their land, cropping system and operational objectives. We have received substantial feedback from farmers and agronomists who have utilized the decision trees from the manual to determine how to move forward on implementing conservation practices with confidence.”

Contributors named in the award include Iowa State’s Liz Ripley, Mark Licht, Kay Stefanik, Matt Helmers, Jacqueline Comito, Ann Staudt, Jamie Benning, Nathan Stevenson and Jim Jordahl. Sarah Carlson and Stefan Gailans, from Practical Farmers of Iowa, and Chris Hay, from the Iowa Soybean Association, rounded out the core team.

The Whole Farm Conservation Best Practices Manual is designed to facilitate conservation practice decision-making by landowners and farmers through step-by-step guides relevant to many different topologies, soils, cropping systems and goals. During the first 18 months, more than 1,950 copies were distributed through the ISU Extension Store and an additional 10,000 copies were distributed to NRCS district offices throughout Iowa. It covers in-field topics including tillage management, cover crops and diverse rotations and edge-of-field practices such as wetlands, bioreactors, saturated buffers, controlled drainage and prairie strips. The manual also provides detailed information regarding implementation and expected outcomes as well as comprehensive graphical decision trees to aid farmers in determining the best approaches for each area on their farm.

To order or download a free copy of the Whole Farm Conservation Best Practices Manual, visit the ISU Extension Store.

This manual is a joint publication of Iowa State University and USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, supported by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under No. 6000004181.

About Conservation Learning Group

Conservation Learning Group is a collaborative team established to advance training, outreach and research across land uses and production systems to increase overall sustainability of agricultural and natural systems for multiple generations to come. CLG draws on experts in various disciplines to deliver engaging science-based outreach to farmers, agricultural advisers, landowners, decision makers, youth and communities. To learn more about Conservation Learning Group visit www.ConservationLearningGroup.org.

— Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

EQIP funds for Otter Lake Source Water Protection Project

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — State Conservationist Ivan Dozier announced that the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will offer funding in Macoupin, Morgan and Sangamon counties for the Otter Lake Source Water Protection project through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). NRCS has partnered with Illinois Corn Growers Association to help producers address resource concerns such as degraded water quality and soil erosion.

Producers can apply for assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to implement practices such as denitrifying bioreactors, saturated buffers, cover crops, nutrient management, and no-till. The project focus is to improve water quality in the Otter Lake Watershed located in portions of Macoupin, Morgan and Sangamon counties. The application cutoff date will be January 7, 2022.

Financial assistance will be available to producers whose land is located in the Otter Lake Watershed. While applications are accepted throughout the year, interested producers should submit a signed application (NRCS-CPA-1200 form) to the local NRCS field office, or through the http://www.farmers.gov website using their account, by the cutoff date of January 7, 2022, to ensure their applications are considered for 2022 funding. A blank NRCS-CPA-1200 application form may be obtained from the local office or on the Illinois NRCS website. Producers wishing to use Farmers.gov, can sign in or create an account by clicking on “Sign up” in the upper right of the website.

To see if you are eligible to participate in the program, producers should contact their local NRCS field office or visit the Illinois NRCS website at www.il.nrcs.usda.gov.

— USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service