The combination of corn residue (knee-high corn stalks) and cereal rye cover crop on this field protected the soil from wind and water erosion all fall and spring. The roots of the cover crop used up any leftover nutrients in the soil from the corn crop, and prevented any nutrient runoff into the nearby stream. A green field in the spring isn't just pretty for the eyes, but great for soil and water quality as well!

Resources for Agricultural Conservation in Iowa

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Project Partners

Benton County Farm Bureau
Benton County ISUEO
Benton County Soil and Water Conservation District
Black Hawk County Soil and Water Conservation District
City of Cedar Rapids
DuPont Pioneer - Dysart
Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance
Iowa Corn Growers Association
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS)
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Iowa Farm Bureau
Iowa Learning Farms
Iowa Pork Producers Association
Iowa Soybean Association
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Remington Seeds - Vinton
Sand County Foundation
Tama County Farm Bureau
Tama County Soil and Water Conservation District
The Nature Conservancy
The Tall Grass Prairie Center

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Technical & Financial Support

Agencies and organizations that support landowner conservation efforts in Iowa:
Iowa NRCS
Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship - Division of Soil Conservation
Iowa Department of Natural Resources - Watershed Improvement Section
Iowa State University Extension - Leadership & Performance-Based Watershed Management
Conservation Districts of Iowa

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Water Monitoring, Research, & Data

Information about water quality and flooding in Iowa: 
Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy
Iowa DNR - IOWATER
Iowa Flood Center - Iowa Flood Information System
USGS - Iowa Water Center
USGS - Stream Gage Network

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Agriculture - Commodity & Industry

Conservation information from Iowa agricultural and commodity groups:
DuPont Pioneer 
Iowa Soybean Association
Iowa Corn Growers Association
Iowa Farm Bureau Federation
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Iowa Soybean Association On-Farm Network®

Education & Outreach

Resources for learning more about conservation:
Iowa Learning Farms
USDA-NRCS Soil Health Initiative
Drake Agricultural Law Center
Women, Food, and Agriculture Network 

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