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Farmers apply fertilizer, including nitrogen, before spring planting so the seed and the growing plant have nutrients available throughout the season. (Adobe Stock)

Program for farmers lowers the risk of reducing nitrogen application

A farm group is helping Iowa agriculture producers find ways to reduce the amount of nitrogen they use on their crops. Excess nitrates can wind up …

The Iowa Environmental Council is calling on the Department of Natural Resources to add better protections for the state's air, soil and groundwater quality in new regulations for concentrated animal feeding operations. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental advocates want tougher CAFO rules

After a two-and-a-half-year process, time is winding down for the public to comment on new rules for concentrated animal feeding operations in Iowa…

The USDA says producers can increase their environmental stewardship activities through the department's Conservation Stewardship Program. (Adobe Stock)

Family farm advocates suspect profit motive behind some 'conservation' practices

Midwest family farm advocates have sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, opposing recent additions to conservation practices they said …

Cedar Rapids, in eastern Iowa, had only 15.5 inches of rain in all of 2022, which is about half of what it would normally get by early October. (Adobe Stock)

IA implements first-ever drought plan

The State of Iowa has just put its first-ever drought plan to work to help it manage one of the longest and most severe dry periods in recent history…

Rural Webster County, Iowa, uses money offered by the state to test water wells. Some 43 million Americans rely on private wells for their water, but many don't have those wells tested for water quality. (Tony Leys/KFF Health News)

Rural IA boosts efforts to test private wells

By Tony Leys for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Service Collabor…

With 23.6 million hogs in Iowa, the state continues to dominate the nation's hog production industry. Minnesota and Nebraska rank a distant second and third with 8.6 million and 8.3 million hogs respectively, according to Iowa Source. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Blast EPA Over 'Inaction' on Confinement Rules

Clean-water activists are angry over a decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to sidestep action on threats to water posed by factory …

Large feeding operations keep many animals confined to a small, densely populated space. Unlike free-range farms where cows graze through a pasture, or chickens forage for food in fields, Confined Animal Feeding Operations bring feed to their animals, which remain stationary. (Adobe Stock)

State to Rewrite Manure Rules for CAFOs

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is updating the rules defining how manure is stored at animal feeding operations. For generations, …

One billion people in more than 193 countries participate in Earth Day activities, according to Earth Day Network. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa Educators Focus on Sustainability During Earth Month

As part of Earth Month, an extension of the annual Earth Day celebration, educators and researchers are calling on Iowans to put sustainability first …

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other national agencies will host a webinar focusing on past and current drought conditions and the impact on rainfall, temperature and precipitation in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa Drought Plan Uses History to Predict Future

Iowa has developed its first-ever plan to predict drought before it happens. Officials said it is designed to mitigate the effects of the drought by …

The Iowa Water Quality Initiative is a coordinated approach for reducing nutrient loads discharged from the state's largest wastewater treatment plants and agricultural sources, according to Cleanwater Iowa. (Adobe Stock)

IA Water Quality Initiative Aims to Remove Nitrates

The Iowa Legislature is considering a bill to maximize protecting the state's water. Senate File 311 would allow the state Department of …

Nitrate levels in water resources have increased in many areas of the world, largely due to applications of inorganic fertilizer and animal manure in agricultural areas, according to the National Institutes of Health. (Adobe Stock)

Des Moines Weighs $50 Million Water-Quality Improvement

City water leaders in Des Moines are considering a $50 million plan to use Mother Nature as a giant water filter to remove nitrates from the city's dr…

Some 50 years after passage of the Clean Water Act, half of America's waterways remain polluted, according to a report by the Environmental Integrity Project. (Adobe Stock)

IA Sierra Club Chapter Sues State, Cattle Producer

A state judge will soon hear arguments in a waterway pollution case brought by the Sierra Club's Iowa Chapter. The group is suing the Iowa …

Soil erosion by water occurs when bare-sloped soil surface is exposed to rainfall, and the rainfall intensity exceeds the rate of soil intake, or infiltration rate, leading to soil-surface runoff. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa Watershed Watchers Want Action on Climate Change

The Iowa Watershed Planning Advisory Council just released its annual report and said the Iowa Water Plan needs an update. The report showed climate …

According to the Environmental Working Group, Iowa loses an estimated 5.2 million tons of soil per acre, per year, to erosion. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa Utilities Look to Slow Soil Erosion, Improve Water Quality

A cattle operation in Grinnell has been fined for stockpiling manure on its property that had been washing into a nearby creek. It's the latest in a …

In addition to poor monitoring of water quality, environmental advocates say harmful runoff from agriculture may not improve, especially when conservation practices for farmers are strictly voluntary. (Adobe Stock)

Report: IA Needs to Bolster Water-Quality Monitoring

If Iowa wants to ensure its Nutrient Reduction Strategy is working to curb farm runoff, a new report from an environmental group says it needs to do …

Environmental advocates say Iowa has more than four times as many large concentrated<br />animal-feeding operations as it did in 2001. (Adobe Stock)

IA Group: Landowner Rights Under Attack After Hog-Farm Ruling

Opponents of an Iowa Supreme Court decision they say makes it almost impossible to sue corporate farms over pollution, are encouraging landowners to …

Aside from health risks, environmental officials say harmful algae blooms pose a threat to Iowa's water recreation industry. When beaches and other access points are temporarily shut down, it discourages plans for boating or swimming. (Adobe Stock)

Going Swimming? Be Mindful of Not-So-Clean Water

Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of water recreation season, and before putting on a swimsuit, Iowa environmental experts say being mindful …

Roughly 20 million Americans rely on the Mississippi River for drinking water. (Adobe Stock)

Following River Report, Action Pursued to Protect the Mississippi

The Great Lakes, Puget Sound and other notable watersheds are afforded massive federal support to coordinate and fund pollution-reduction efforts…

Supporters of Iowa's Watershed Management Authorities say they empower local leaders to make the best decisions for their communities when it comes to flood mitigation and conservation. (Adobe Stock)

Without State Help, IA Loses Local Flood-Prevention Staff

Iowa is in danger of losing momentum for local coordination of flood prevention projects. That's the prediction of groups with ties to Watershed …

Iowa currently has 27 Watershed Management Authorities. These local coalitions map out solutions to flooding and other water issues. (Adobe Stock)

Filling IA's Empty Resources Fund Could Aid Local Flood Work

A little-known Iowa program continues to pave the way for local coordination for flood-prevention strategies, and backers of the initiative are …

Environmental groups have sounded the alarm over runoff from factory farms and industrial agriculture that flow into rivers in central Iowa. (Adobe Stock)

New Map Highlights Impact of Slaughter Facilities on Waterways

DES MOINES, Iowa - Some of Iowa's largest drinking-water sources have struggled with runoff from livestock facilities and farm sites. A new …

The Shell Rock River Watershed Management Coalition is the latest voluntary group of local governments and other agencies in Iowa to join a patchwork of similar alliances devising flood prevention strategies. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa Hot and Dry, But Flood Prevention Efforts Continue

SHELL ROCK, Iowa -- Scorching temperatures with little rain might not prompt public fears about flooding, but that isn't stopping leaders in …

Iowa has more than 10,000 factory farms, up from fewer than 800 in 2001. (agnormark/Adobe Stock)

Rural Iowa Communities Urge More Factory-Farm Regulations

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Advocates for family farms, rural neighborhoods and the environment are asking Iowa lawmakers to find a more equitable balance …

In the past decade, Iowa has been among the top states with the most flood-disaster declarations. (Adobe Stock)

Focus of IA Flood Prevention Shifts to Funding Debate

DES MOINES, Iowa - Iowa has taken steps to prevent floods following historic disasters in recent decades. At the center of these efforts are local …

Environmental groups in the upper Midwest say states such as Iowa face ongoing flood threats because of extreme weather events caused by climate change. (Crystal Dorothy)

Upper Mississippi Tops Endangered-Rivers List

DUBUQUE, Iowa -- As Iowa and other states brace for more flooding this spring along the Upper Mississippi River, a new report highlights the …

In addition to flood mitigation, advocates pushing a sales-tax increase in Iowa say it would help to ensure clean water. (Adobe Stock)

IA Bill to Boost State Sales Tax Would Help with Conservation

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is trying to build support for a 1-cent sales-tax increase that would help fund conservation programs…

According to Iowa officials, nearly 35 projects in the state are currently going through the review process under the federal law known as NEPA. (fws.gov)

IA Farmers Voice Concerns over Controversial Environmental Law Change

NASHUA, Iowa -- Some Iowans are among those weighing in on proposed changes to a landmark federal environmental law, saying the changes would be …

The Iowa Flood Center says until landscape management plans become better established, the state will continue to see significant floods in the years to come. (Adobe Stock)

Researcher: IA Flood Forecasts Becoming the Norm

IOWA CITY, Iowa - Government forecasters are warning that Iowa is in store for more significant flooding this spring. A state researcher says these …

Missouri River flooding in 2019 brought devastation to Iowa and neighboring states. (iihr.uiowa.edu)

Report: Climate Change Will Bring More Flooding to Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa - An updated guide from the National Wildlife Federation says Iowa remains vulnerable to flooding brought on by climate change…

Iowa will report water impairments on 622 river, lake and wetland segments to the Environmental Protection Agency as part of its biennial water quality summary, a 2% increase over the 2016 report. (centraliowapaddlers.org)

Iowa Supreme Court to Hear Raccoon River Lawsuit in 2020

DES MOINES, Iowa – A lawsuit over nutrient pollution in a portion of Iowa's Raccoon River will stretch into 2020 as arguments are heard by the …

Severe flooding in March caused levees to fail along the Missouri River in Iowa, resulting in overall damages of $2 billion. (noaa.edu)

Will Rollback of Pollution Regulations Accelerate Iowa Climate Change?

DES MOINES, Iowa – In recent years, Iowa has experienced record level flooding, devastating droughts and rising temperatures attributed to …

Adopting no-till farming practices to improve soil texture and structure has helped Iowa farmer Loran Steinlage adapt to weather extremes. (landstewardshipproject.org)

Iowa Famers Put Soil Health Front and Center

DES MOINES, Iowa – Demonstrating best practices for improving soil health and water quality has been front and center for many Iowa farmers …

In the past few years, Western Iowa has had above-average growth of cover crop acreage compared to the rest of the state. (3360yale.edu)

Iowa Increases Cover-Crop Acreage, But at Slower Pace

DES MOINES, Iowa — The sustainable farming practice of cover cropping grew in Iowa in 2018, but is still far below the goal called for in …

Iowa's State Water Plan, which looked at supply, demand and protection of the state's water resources, has not been updated since 1985. (iowawatershedapproach.org)

Iowa Recovers from Devastating Floods, Prepares for More

DES MOINES, Iowa – Iowans are being asked to use last month's catastrophic flooding as leverage to renew conversations about prevention and …

A rule change proposed by the EPA is widely expected to result in the loss of protections for more than 50 percent of the nation's wetlands and 18 percent of streams. (Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources)

Time's Up Soon to Comment on EPA's Clean Water Rule Changes

DES MOINES, Iowa – Time is running out for public comments on a federal proposal to lift pollution controls on certain smaller streams and …

New research shows the nation's biofuels policy under the Renewable Fuel Standard is having unintended, negative environmental consequences. (mncorn.org)

Report: Environment Suffers Under Renewable Fuel Standard

DES MOINES, Iowa – The increased use of biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard is damaging wildlife habitat, depleting water aquifers and …

It's estimated that 200 Iowa communities struggle to treat for factory-farm pollutants caused by runoff from the state's large number of hog confinements. (MabelAmber/Pixabay)

Opponents of Factory Farms to Rally at Iowa Capitol

DES MOINES, Iowa – Iowans who want to see a moratorium on factory farms in the state rally at the State Capitol tomorrow, even though they …

Anita Christensen of Iowa, left, was among a group of 10 moms who visited Capitol Hill in Washington last week to oppose Andrew Wheeler's confirmation as E-P-A administrator. (partnership project)

Iowa Mom Raises Concern Over Wheeler as EPA Chief

DES MOINES, Iowa – Environmental advocate Anita Christensen traveled from Indianola to Washington last week, hoping to convince Sen. Joni Ernst …

To address water-quality issues, Iowa became the first state to analyze every watershed within its borders this year and assess conservation practice implementation. (iowapha.org)

Conservation Boosts Iowa's Future Water Quality

DES MOINES, Iowa — Earlier this year, Iowa beefed up its "Nutrient Reduction Strategy" program to improve water quality, and farmers are …

By one estimate, Iowa cover-crop acres increased by 22 percent in 2017 to 760,000 total acres. But the rate of growth was 10 percent lower than in 2016. (earthtimes.org)

Soil Health Proving More Vital for Iowa Farm Productivity, Water Quality

DES MOINES, Iowa — For generations, Iowa's topsoil has been called "black gold." And many farmers are working to keep it that way by renewing …

Iowans who interfere with oil or natural gas pipelines now face some of the harshest penalties in the nation. (climatemarch.org)

Iowa Pipeline Opponents Face Tough Penalties Under New "Sabotage" Law

DES MOINES, Iowa — Opponents of the Dakota Access Pipeline are still awaiting federal and Iowa Supreme Court rulings in a case over the …

About 3,000 people attended the 2017 March for Science in Des Moines last April. (sciencemag.org)

"March for Science" Returns to Iowa Capitol Saturday

DES MOINES, Iowa – Iowa's primary election is less than two months away, and organizers of tomorrow's second annual "March for Science" have …

Iowa now has 10,000, hog confinements compared with 722 in 2001. (www.jfaniowa.org

Iowa Hog Industry Faces More Pushback Over Factory Farms

DES MOINES, Iowa — Recent application denials at the county level mean more Iowans see the need for a moratorium on new factory farms, …

Iowa's most recent (2016) draft list of impaired waters includes more than 600 bodies of water with a total of 818 problems with their quality or safety. (IDNR)

A Watershed Approach to Improving Iowa Water Quality?

DES MOINES, Iowa – Long-term funding for water quality is expected to be one of the first priorities for Iowa legislators when they return to …

Agriculture organizations say a new cover-crop incentive program will help improve land resiliency.<br />(USDA)

Iowa Cover Crop Incentive: "A Step in the Right Direction"

DES MOINES, Iowa – Planting cover crops now could save Iowa farmers money in the future. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land …

Iowa's pig and hog population is more than 22 million according to the USDA � more than double the state's nearest pork production rival, North Carolina. (afnewsagency/Pixabay)

Community Activists to Iowa Pork Industry: Time for a Moratorium

DES MOINES, Iowa – There is no state in the nation that produces more pork than Iowa and production is continuing to grow. But community …

Researchers encourage Iowans to factor the risks of climate change into any plans for development in low lying areas. (12019/Pixabay)

Report: While Coasts Grab Headlines, Climate Change Threatens Midwest

DES MOINES, Iowa – Parts of the country along the coasts have been battered this year by Mother Nature, and a new study from the Midwest …

Grain prices are low and production costs are high, but Iowa farmers are still focused on land stewardship. (Pixabay)

Iowa Farmers Embrace Conservation, Despite Economic Downturn

DES MOINES, Iowa -- These are challenging times for Iowa farmers, battling a global grain glut and high production costs, but that isn't stopping …

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