Drainage Water Management practices support crop success, soil health, water quality ADAIR, Iowa (IAWA) – Underground drainage tile has long been the go-to answer for handling water in northern and central Iowa’s flat, fertile, slow-draining cropland – but a newer approach is letting farmers choose how much water leaves their field and when. That approach,[…]
Kevin Cooper brings on-farm water quality efforts to his classroom and community NEVADA, Iowa (IAWA) – For Nevada High School Vocational Ag teacher and part-time farmer Kevin Cooper, water quality practices aren’t just a textbook topic – they’re a part of his life that he shares with his students and community. That combo of education,[…]
Team’s collaboration, expertise fuels surge in restored oxbows statewide ANKENY, Iowa (IAWA) – A statewide team of water quality and habitat experts is breathing new life into old, cut off river segments – known as oxbows – and their work is being recognized with the 2024 IAWA Team Impact Award. Oxbows form when a[…]
DES MOINES, Iowa (IAWA) — Prairie Meadows Casino just announced that four Central Iowa wetlands projects will get a $470,000 Legacy Grant to support water quality, habitat, and conservation education. Ducks Unlimited is leading the grant, collaborating with Polk County Public Works, Polk County Conservation, the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance, and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation.[…]
By Dan Looker Energetic. Empathetic. Eclectic. These are a few words some would use to describe Bill Northey, one of Iowa’s most consequential and admired agricultural leaders. Many were shocked by his death last February. On Monday, May 27, 2024 he would have been 65. Last winter, Northey was CEO of the Agribusiness Association of[…]
By Kellie Blair On our farm, we do a lot of work advocating for conservation. When I say we advocate, I mean that we tell our story and how it works for us. What works on our farm doesn’t always work for others. Conservation on the farm doesn’t look the same everywhere, and includes cover crops, no-till/strip-till,[…]
By Kerri Bell My name is Kerri Bell, and I am a fourth-generation farmer. My husband, Lance, and I have a diversified crop farm near Keota in southeast Iowa. We raise corn, soybeans, cover crops, and alfalfa, and have a crossbred cow calf operation with our twin daughters, Ellie and Sophie – both are 2023[…]
By Sara Preston Ever pondered the similarities between mothers and farmers? As I reflect on the remarkable women in my life and the dedicated farmers I know, I can’t help but notice the striking parallels. Mothers are nurturing to their children, going above and beyond to encourage their growth and helping them be the best that[…]
By Dan Looker Rudi Roeslein was born in Salzburg, Austria, not far from mountain meadows where the movie, The Sound of Music, was filmed. His family emigrated to St Louis when he was a boy and today Roeslein has a vision of spreading different flowering fields–30 million acres of native tallgrass prairies–in his adopted country,[…]
By Dan Looker ICON Water Trails continues building momentum for 150 miles of waterway recreation while the Wetland Wave supports water quality to improve the recreation experience. DES MOINES, Iowa (IAWA) – Not far from Hannah Inman’s office south of downtown Des Moines, the Des Moines River below the Scott Street Dam is a jumble[…]