Boone River Watershed Nutrient Management Initiative
2013-Present
About
Grant award
$1,971,949
Total project
$3,660,309
Description
The Boone River Watershed Nutrient Management Initiative Project focuses on education, demonstration, implementation, retention, and evaluation of practices identified in the Nutrient Reduction Strategy. Efforts are focused in two project areas in the Boone River watershed: 1) the Prairie Creek watershed in Humboldt and Kossuth counties and 2) the Eagle Creek watershed in Wright county. Through past watershed efforts some farmers and landowners in the area have realized success with practices such as cover crops, strip tillage, bioreactors, nutrient management and practice monitoring and evaluation. The Boone River Watershed Nutrient Management Initiative works with these “Farmer Champions” to recruit a new group of champions to lead adoption of practices to improve agronomic and environmental performance.
Goals
Promote sharing of knowledge by “Farmer Champions” who have implemented conservation practices and realized results. Implement proven and novel education and outreach approaches to increase awareness of practices identified in the Nutrient Reduction Strategy. Demonstrate practices identified in the Nutrient Reduction Strategy by providing opportunities for farmers and landowners to implement practices and monitor the agronomic and environmental performance. Increase retention of implemented practices by establishing relationships between farmers, landowners, agribusinesses, and conservation agencies.