Clean Water in Iowa Starts Here Tour Offers Statewide Look at Public-Private Partnerships
DES MOINES, Iowa (Nov. 18, 2020) – The Clean Water in Iowa Starts Here tour will be checking in on projects around the state today. Today’s stories are being highlighted by Truterra, LLC, the sustainability solutions business unit of Land O’Lakes, and will focus on the power of public-private partnerships to advance water quality, soil health and overall on-farm stewardship in Iowa. Truterra, the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS), Nestlé Purina, and the Dubuque Soil & Water Conservation District are among the partners working along with local farmers and ag retailers to improve water quality and soil health around the state.
Truterra and the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) are part of a joint project that helped set up innovative trial programs for Iowa growers to demonstrate the benefits of a full-system approach to precision agriculture. Together, the project partners secured $1.5 million in funding from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to accelerate the adoption of precision nutrient management and soil health practices in partnership with agricultural retailers and growers in Iowa, as well as Kansas and Nebraska.
Most recently, Truterra has teamed up with the Dubuque Soil & Water Conservation District to incentivize Iowa farmers to implement on-farm conservation practices that further water quality in the county. Another Truterra partner, Nestlé Purina, is working on a similar project to help the Maquoketa Watershed project. Last year, Nestlé Purina committed $1 million to Ducks Unlimited in Iowa to reduce flooding and boost water quality for residents and wildlife.
“Farmers and landowners across Iowa are committed to improving the productivity and sustainability of their operations using a combination of in-field and edge-of-field conservation practices and precise nutrient management. Not only do these conservation efforts help preserve their families’ farming legacies, they also benefit their communities and others downstream,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “Farmers and landowners can’t do it alone. These events are a great opportunity to highlight the public and private sector partners who are providing financial and technical assistance to help scale-up water quality projects around the state.”
“Truterra believes that collaboration is the key to driving stewardship. We invest in public-private partnerships because we are committed to building a system of change that accelerates the adoption of on-farm stewardship and protects our natural resources,” said Jason Weller, Vice President of Truterra. “Our partnerships have shown that when ag retailers, farmers, companies and other partners come together, we can provide farmers and ag retailers with the support and resources they need to successfully improve water quality and soil health.”
To learn more about Truterra’s public-private partnerships, visit truterraag.com.
About the Clean Water in Iowa Starts Here Campaign
The Clean Water in Iowa Starts Here campaign, created by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) and Newsradio 1040 WHO, aims to raise awareness about the conservation work underway across Iowa, and encourages all Iowans to get personally involved in water quality activities.
The Big Show will visit locations throughout Iowa showcasing the people and practices that are having a positive and measurable impact on water quality. The conversations with farmers, landowners, business operators and conservation leaders will be broadcast Wednesdays on The Big Show airing 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. on WHO and 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. on WMT.
The implementation of conservation practices isn’t limited to rural areas. Urban residents can do their part by keeping leaves, grass clippings and other yard debris out of the street and gutters and slowing runoff and recycling rainwater through rain barrels, rain gardens and swales. These practices act as a filter for oil, fertilizer and other pollutants to prevent them from running into the storm drains. Seeding pollinator habitats and properly disposing of paints, solvents and metals also have a positive impact on water quality.
Clean Water in Iowa Starts Here campaign partners include Agri-Drain, Hagie Manufacturing, Hands on Excavating, Heartland Co-op, Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Soybean Association, Land Improvement Contractors of America, Montag Manufacturing, The Nature Conservancy and Truterra.
To learn more about the campaign and conservation practices that can be implemented, go to CleanWaterIowa.org/CleanWaterStartsHere.