Public News Service

In partnership with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, volunteers are discovering new bee species and working to fortify bumble bee habitat, in Iowa and across the country. (Xerces/Katie Lamke)

Monday, April 15, 2024

Iowans asked to get busy counting beeezzz, please

The state Department of Natural Resources and Iowa State University are looking for volunteers to help create a new Bumble Bee Atlas. Bees are an …

Atrazine was the most widely used pesticide in Iowa, and applied to 69% of the state's planted acres. (Adobe Stock)

Common produce in IA tops 'Dirty Dozen' pesticide list

The Environmental Working Group has released a new list of produce items most and least affected by pesticides in Iowa and across the country…

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 U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates up to 15 million acres of soybeans have been damaged by dicamba drifting beyond where it was applied. (Adobe Stock)

Court bans popular but controversial pesticide

A federal court has banned the use of a highly controversial but popular pesticide in the Midwest. Advocates for sustainable agriculture said the …

California could buy tax credits from large-scale livestock producers in Iowa to offset California diesel emissions. The new regulations rate Iowa's livestock operations 'cleaner' than diesel. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa CAFOs could cash in on California emissions credits

Iowa factory farms could cash in on new proposed carbon emissions tax-credit rules in California. The new emissions standards would allow …

Rural advocates are pushing for more protection for independent producers in the next Farm Bill. (Adobe Stock)

Rural groups push for environmental protections in next Farm Bill

Even though the current Farm Bill has been extended for a year, rural advocates are speaking up about protecting independent and family farms when …

Iowa has nearly 31 million acres of farmland. The average farm is about 360 acres, according to the USDA, and much of is monitored with high-tech equipment. (Iowa State University Extension Dept.)

Iowa farmers concerned with e-data use by corporations

New polling data show Iowa farmers are taking advantage of high-tech agriculture practices, and more plan to do so. But some say there's a downside …

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office is researching the opportunities and tradeoffs of agrivoltaics. (Adobe Stock)

Battle Heats Up Over Iowa Solar-Project Sites

Supervisors in Tama County this week are considering an ordinance to limit the size of solar installations on farmland, to generate no more than 25 …

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation promotes the economic stability of agriculture through a sound system of crop insurance and providing the means for the research and experience helpful in devising and establishing such insurance, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Organic Farmers Want More Time to Plant, Qualify for Crop Insurance

Organic farmers want more time to get their corn crops in the ground and still be able to qualify for crop insurance. Right now, they are held to the …

Among many benefits, cover crops remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and help make soil more resilient to a changing climate. (Adobe Stock)

Ag Secretary Announces Federal Money to Reduce Iowa Soil Erosion

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced two federal grants aimed at helping farmers reduce soil erosion in Iowa and other Midwest states…

Beekeepers are positioning hives adjacent to fields planted in clover and grasses, which grow better in the shadow of solar panels than traditional row crops. (Photo courtesy Joel Fassbinder)

Dual-Use Solar Means Healthier IA Honeybees

Farmers, ranchers and livestock producers are working with solar companies in Iowa to find multiple uses for land once used only to plant corn and …

Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time, including during the growing season, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (Adobe Stock)

Interior Invests $120 Million in Midwest 'Prairie Potholes'

As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, the Interior Department has announced it is investing $120 million to restore and rebuild key segments of …

Hogs and other livestock are used in what's known as

Solar-Powered Mobile Barn Transforms Traditional Agriculture

By Twilight Greenaway for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News …

Spending on conservation programs is expected to range between $6 billion and $6.5 billion in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Most Farmers Still Denied Conservation Grants

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy reports nearly three quarters of farmers across the country who applied for two types of U.S. …

As of March 2022, Iowa had at least 349 megawatts of total installed solar capacity, up from approximately 2 megawatts of solar installed in 2012, according to the Iowa Environmental Council. <br />(Adobe Stock)

ISU Researchers to Study Growing Crops in Solar Farms’ Shadow

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded Iowa State University a $1.8 million grant to raise high-dollar crops in the shadow of huge solar …

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations are regulated by federal, state and local agencies. (Adobe Stock)

Rural Ag Summit Advocates 'Food not Feed'

Progressive agricultural growers returning this week from the Food not Feed Summit in Washington, D.C., are asking their fellow farmers to consider a …

Americans spend more than $1 billion per year to import organic food, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Organic Growers Support New USDA Fraud Rules

New U.S. Department of Agriculture rules will target fraud and increase oversight of the $64 billion-a-year organic food industry. In Iowa, the …

There are 1,168 businesses designated as Tractors and Agricultural Machinery Manufacturing businesses in the U.S. as of 2023, a slight increase over last year. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Farm Mechanics Win 'Right to Repair'

Tractor maker Deere and Company has reached a deal with the American Farm Bureau Federation to allow independent mechanics to work on John Deere brand…

More than 85% of Iowa's land is farmland. (Stock/Adobe Stock)

Iowa Farmers' Priorities Released for 2023 Farm Bill

Rural advocacy groups in Iowa have released their priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill, which is already being discussed in Washington, D.C. The Center …

Agriculture experts say improving soil health on farmland is one of several components to reducing emissions from conventional farming. (Adobe Stock)

IA Gets Big Chunk of 'Climate-Smart' Farming Pie

Agriculture researchers say if the U.S. wants more farmers to adopt climate-friendly practices, they will need to be offered some proven incentives…

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 …

Farmers face pressure to reduce harmful runoff through conservation practices. But a new report warns that, as factory farmers eat up more cost-sharing funds, smaller producers will be reluctant to apply for aid. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Most Farmers Shut Out by Conservation Programs

By Bryce Oates Broadcast version by Mike Moen Reporting for the Daily Yonder-Iowa News Service Collaboration Many farmers who apply for federal fund…

The latest bird flu outbreak in the United States has forced farmers to kill several million chickens across the country. (Adobe Stock)

From Big Farms to Smaller Producers, Tracing the Bird Flu Impact

At least two dozen states are seeing the bird flu virus quickly spread through commercial flocks on poultry-producing farms. Iowa is at the center …

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 …

According to the latest Census of Agriculture, nearly 9,000 Iowa farms use cover crops. (Adobe Stock)

BBB Includes Funding Boost for Farm Conservation Programs

GREENE, Iowa -- The proposed Build Back Better bill is getting attention for a host of funding possibilities, including one area flying under the …

As Midwestern farmers deal with more unpredictable weather patterns, they're urged to adopt practices such as cover cropping to make their land more resilient to flooding and other events. (Adobe Stock)

Warm Fall Weather Key to Increasing Cover Crops on IA Farms

SIOUX CITY, Iowa - Iowa's fall harvest is under way, with some farmers reporting better yields than expected. But others are still worried about …

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 …

No-till farming, which involves growing crops without disrupting the soil, is considered a hallmark of conservation in agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Conservation For Sale: Connecting Heartland Farmers with Sustainable Ag

HARLAN, Iowa -- The effects of climate change are laid out in a new United Nations report, which pointed to greenhouse gas emissions. While global …

Aside from training programs, removing barriers to land access is seen as another way to attract younger farmers as the agriculture industry ages. (Adobe Stock)

IA Program Aims to Usher in Next Generation of Farmers

AMES, Iowa - Iowa farmers have been busy with the spring planting season. As operations hire workers for the summer, a nonprofit connects them with …

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 …

Nutrient management, cover crops and alternative tilling are key components of farmer conservation practices, and supporters say these efforts could create a new wave of jobs in the agriculture sector. (Adobe Stock).

Adding Job Creation to List of Benefits From Ag Conservation

JEFFERSON, Iawa -- Farmers in the nation's heartland are strongly encouraged to adopt conservation practices to lower their costs and help the …

The 2018 farm bill increased the payment level for practices such as cover crops, advanced grazing management and resource-conserving crop rotations. (iowabeefcenter.org)

Deadline Nears to Comment on Conservation Stewardship Program Changes

DES MOINES, Iowa — Farmers who want to weigh-in on changes to the nation's Conservation Stewardship Program have five weeks to submit comments …

Advocates of conservation practices to control soil erosion and improve water quality say federal policy makers should do more to help farmers adopt these measures. (crops.extension.lastate.edu)

Report: Policymakers Must Address Climate-Change Threats to Farmers

DES MOINES, Iowa – Extreme rain events and wide swings in temperatures are just some of the threats of climate change facing Iowa farmers…

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 …

A new poll from Iowa State University shows Sen. Elizabeth Warren was the top choice of 24% of likely Iowa caucus-goers. (peoplesaction.org)

Iowa CCI: No Bland Presidential Stump Speeches Allowed

DES MOINES, Iowa – Four Democratic presidential candidates have been confirmed for The People's Presidential Forum in Des Moines this weekend…

According to the National Farmers Union, farmers earn less than 15 cents of every food dollar. (gipsa.usda.gov)

Livestock Producers Fight for Fairness with Meatpacking Giants

DES MOINES, Iowa - The U.S. Department of Agriculture soon will release new regulations that livestock and poultry producers hope will better protect …

Some Iowa farmers are diversifying operations by growing chestnut trees, finding a strong market demand and a high profit potential per acre. (chestnutfestival.org)

Iowa Chestnut Growers Combine Past and Future for New Crop

DES MOINES, Iowa – For generations, Iowa's predictable weather has allowed farmers to specialize in two crops – corn and soybeans…

The Falling Fruit online map allows users to enter an address to locate free, foragable fruits, nuts and even spices such as lavender or pink peppercorns. (fallingfruit.org)

Fruit Falling on Your Head? Harvest It!

DES MOINES, Iowa – If it's not raindrops falling on your head, it might be an apricot, cherries, apples or plums – and a foraging group …

Iowans Find Common Ground on Climate Change

DES MOINES, Iowa – 2019 is on track to be the second or third warmest year on record at a time when some Iowa farmers still are dealing with …

Some Iowa farmers say this was the first May in which they couldn't plant any crops because of an extremely wet and cold spring. (iowaenvironmentalfocus.org)

Iowa Farmers Cope With Turbulent Weather, Troubled Trade Talks

DES MOINES, Iowa — The U.S. is coming off the wettest 12 months on record, and Iowa farmers are being encouraged to boost conservation …

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 …

Flooding has cost Iowa residents, businesses and farmers about $18 billion over nearly three decades, according to a 2018 University of Iowa study. (Pixabay/werner22brigitte)

More Iowa Farmers Adapting to Climate Change

DES MOINES, Iowa — Farmers are used to adjusting for weather, but some are adjusting for climate change by planting a variety of crops…

The 2018 National Climate Assessment warned that agricultural productivity in the Midwest could drop by 25 percent in the next 30 years without technology advances and changes in crop production. (soilassociation.org)

Farmers Encouraged to 'Champion Soil' in Face of Climate Change

DES MOINES, Iowa – Farming practices aren't changing as fast as the climate, and food production is likely to suffer, according to one expert …

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, was one of 13 U.S. senators who voted against a new Farm Bill on Tuesday, saying it did not include critical reforms that would help young and beginning farmers. (Pixabay)

U.S. Lawmakers Agree on $867 Billion Farm Bill

DES MOINES, Iowa - People who use and value farming-conservation practices are applauding parts of the U.S. Senate's newly passed Farm Bill. They …

A law passed by Californians earlier this month will dictate how egg producers in other states raise their chickens if they want to sell their eggs in the Golden State. (scpr.org)

Will Iowa Follow California's Lead on Cage-free Eggs?

DES MOINES, Iowa – Some 1,800 miles separate Iowa from California, but a law passed by voters there could affect how many Iowa eggs are sold in …

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 …

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IA: Sustainable Agriculture and Farming