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Branstad highlights water quality efforts underway statewide

1,920 farmers commit nearly $6 million to try cover crops, no-till/strip till or
nitrification inhibitor on their farms

Shell Rock River
Shell Rock River, an Iowa waterway

DES MOINES – At the Administration’s weekly press conference at the Iowa State Fair today, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds and Sec. of Agriculture Bill Northey announced that $3.8 million in cost share funds to help over 1,900 farmers install nutrient reduction practices have been obligated to farmers in 97 counties. The practices that were eligible for this funding are cover crops, no-till or strip till, or using a nitrification inhibitor when applying fall fertilizer.

Gov. Branstad
Gov. Branstad

“We understand the importance of improving our state’s water quality,” said Branstad. “This summer, we have been all over the state to see firsthand the more than 150 organizations and the thousands of farmers that have been collaborating to improve the state’s water quality through the science-based Nutrient Reduction Strategy. It’s evident that everyone has a role to play in improving our water quality and we look forward water quality funding being a focal point of discussion in the upcoming 2017 legislative session.”

Reynolds added, “Iowans in both urban and rural areas of our state face challenges when we talk about our state’s water quality. However, as we’ve seen all over the state in the past few months, many Iowans are already taking steps to prevent the nitrates and phosphorus from leaving our soil. I have no doubt that Iowans will continue to work together to find solutions to improve our water quality.”

The over 1,900 farmers includes 900 farmers using a practice for the first time and more than 1,000 past users that are trying cover crops again and are receiving a reduced-rate of cost share. As a result, the $3.8 million in state funds will be matched by nearly $6 million from Iowa farmers investing to try these water quality practices.

“Farmers continue to take on the challenge of improving water quality and invest in practices focused on limiting nutrient loss. Even in a challenging time economically in agriculture we have a record number farmers participating and willing to put their own money towards these practices. Farmers are committed to action and willing to invest in water quality,” Northey said.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship received applications covering over 200,000 acres from more than 1,900 different farmers seeking to participate in the program. Farmers in 98 of the 100 Soil and Water Conservation Districts across the state signed up to participate.

Participants include 900 farmers using a practice for the first time and more than 1,000 past users that are trying cover crops again and are receiving a reduced-rate of cost share. The first-time users cover 80,000 acres of cover crops, 4,800 acres of nitrification inhibitor, 6,600 acres of no-till and 1,900 acres of strip-till. The past users will use cover crops on nearly 110,000 acres.

Farmers not already utilizing the practice were eligible cost share rate for cover crops of $25 per acre, $10 per acre for trying no-till or strip till and $3 per acre for using a nitrapyrin nitrification inhibitor when applying fall fertilizer. Farmers that had used cover crops in the past were eligible for $15 per acre in cost share. Cost share was only available on up to 160 acres.

Farmers are encouraged to still reach out to their local Soil and Water Conservation District office as there may be other programs available to help them implement water quality practices on their farm.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship received $9.6 million for the Iowa Water Quality Initiative in fiscal 2017. These funds will allow the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to continue to encourage the broad adoption of water quality practices through statewide cost share assistance as well as more intensive work in targeted watersheds.

Background on Iowa Water Quality Initiative

The Iowa Water Quality Initiative was established in 2013 to help implement the Nutrient Reduction Strategy, which is a collaborative research based approach to achieving a 45 percent reduction in nitrogen and phosphorus losses to our waters. The strategy brings together both point sources, such as municipal wastewater treatment plants and industrial facilities, and nonpoint sources, including farm fields and urban stormwater runoff, to address these issues.

The initiative seeks to harness the collective ability of both private and public resources and organizations to deliver a clear and consistent message to stakeholders to reduce nutrient loss and improve water quality.

In addition to the statewide cost share, there are also currently 45 existing demonstration projects located across the state to help implement and demonstrate water quality practices through the initiative. This includes 16 targeted watershed projects, 7 projects focused on expanding the use and innovative delivery of water quality practices and 22 urban water quality demonstration projects. More than 100 organizations are participating in these projects. These partners will provide $19.31 million dollars to go with over $12 million in state funding going to these projects.

Nearly $350 million in state and federal funds have been directed to programs with water quality benefits in Iowa last year. This total does not include the cost share amount that farmers pay to match state and federal programs and funds spent to build practices built without government assistance.

More information about the initiative can be found at www.CleanWaterIowa.org.

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