2021 June Stewardship Advocate
Posted on June 30, 2021 at 3:15 PM by Iowa Corn
Summer has officially arrived! Unfortunately, the vast majority of the state is dealing with varying degrees of drought. While we patiently wait for rain, below is the latest water quality news.
On the regulatory front, the Iowa Supreme Court, in a 4-3 opinion, dismissed a lawsuit seeking regulation of nitrogen and phosphorus in the Raccoon River watershed. The court defers to the legislature to make decisions regarding regulation and seeks to maintain the separate nature of the three branches of government. Click here for more information.
At the federal level, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Army announced their intent to revise the definition of “Waters of the US” (WOTUS), citing environmental degradation caused by the 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule. The WOTUS saga continues to seesaw with each new administration but fails to provide regulatory certainty that many groups have been seeking for decades. Click here for more information.
In more positive news, there are some great cost share opportunities available:
- Farmers can sign up for state cost share funds for cover crops, no-till, strip-till, or nitrification inhibitors for this fall. First time cover crop users are eligible for $25/acre while experienced cover crop users can receive $15/acre. Reduced tillage acres are eligible for $10/acre and using a nitrapyrin nitrification inhibitor with fall fertilizer is eligible for $3/acre. Click here for more information.
- USDA has set a July 23 deadline for Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) applications. Rental rates have been updated to provide better incentives for enrollment. Click here for more information.
- A new 30-year contract is now available for CRP through the Clean Lakes, Estuaries, And Rivers initiative (CLEAR30). Interested landowners with CRP contracts expiring this September need to sign up by August 6. Click here for more information.
Finally, check out the events section and attend a field day this summer. It’s a great way to learn about new conservation practices and programs and network with other farmers and landowners. Let us know if you are interested in hosting a field day, and Iowa Corn can help sponsor it.
Latest Information
Fixing Iowa Waterways Will Take Legislation, Legal Action and $5B
Project Partners Kickoff Central Iowa Water Quality Infrastructure Project
Coca-Cola Enrolls 100% of its US Corn Supply in Pioneering Sustainable Agriculture Initiative
FFAR Awards $2 Million Grant to Improve Sustainability in Corn Production
Tyson Foods Sets Net-Zero Emissions Goal But Falls Short on Farming Project
Considering Carbon: Overview of Carbon Market Composition
Is Carbon the ‘Crop’ of the Future?
Kicking Off the $19 Million Cedar River Source Water Partnership
Agriculture Emits a ‘Forgotten Greenhouse Gas’. Scientists Are Looking for Solutions in the Soil
Drawing a Hard Line in War on Herbicide Resistance
Upcoming Events
June 23 Research Field Day, Kanawha
June 24 Research Field Day, Nashua
June 24 Corn Stover Harvesting, Nevada
June 24 Ecosystem Markets, Webinar
June 24 Carbon Markets, Webinar
June 24 Pollinator Habitat, Virtual
June 25 Expo on the Ridge, Donahue
June 29 Climate 21 Project, Webinar
June 29 Herbicide Resistance Field Day, Kanawha
June 30 Agribusiness Showcase, Virtual
June 30 Weed Science, Webinar
July 1 Drainage Water Recycling, Virtual
July 7 Research Farm Field Day, Sutherland
July 7 Des Moines Water Works, Webinar
July 8 Weed Science Field Day, Ames
July 8 Carbon Reduction, Webinar
July 8 Prairie Establishment, Virtual
July 13 Ecosystem Markets, Webinar
July 14 Carbon Credit Markets, Virtual
July 15 Ecosystem Markets, Webinar
July 23-24 LICA field day, Melbourne
July 26-28 Soil & Water Conservation Society Conference, Virtual
August 5-6 National Strip Tillage Conference, Omaha
Farmer to Farmer
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig discusses how Iowa’s strong ag economy is based on its soil, water, and people. We are striving to keep Iowa ag productive, profitable, and take care of our natural resources.
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