Clean Water in Iowa Starts Here Tour Travels to Buena Vista County
Campaign encourages all Iowans to take an active role in improving water quality
DES MOINES, Iowa (Sept. 22, 2020) – The Clean Water in Iowa Starts Here tour will stop at Mike Ehlers’ farm in Buena Vista County today. Ehlers is in a farm operation with his dad and brother, and they have long focused on using conservation measures not only on their land, but on farmland they rent. That’s because they know it’s important to think about sustainability across all of Iowa.
“Conservation projects continue to ramp up in the North Raccoon watershed, and at least nine edge-of-field projects are under construction in Buena Vista County,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “The Ehlers family farm is one example of a landowner working alongside private and public partners — in this case, the Iowa Pork Producers Association and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship — to implement conservation practices that will improve water quality in the Storm Lake area and downstream.”
“Pig farmers take environmental management and regulations designed to protect our natural resources very seriously,” said Drew Mogler, the public policy director at the Iowa Pork Producers Association. “Protecting the environment also means being thoughtful in managing pig manure. Pig manure is a valuable crop nutrient and we are dedicated to making sure its use does not impair Iowa’s water quality.”
From his farm near Marathon, Ehlers talked about the evolution of practices his family uses. “We care about water quality on our farm. In our operation, we started with low disturbance manure application, cover crops, strip tillage, and then added a bioreactor,” he said. “This is our third year with the bioreactor, and the results so far are amazing. We’ve seen nitrate reduction from 85 to 100 percent proving a varied combination of practices can make a positive difference in Iowa’s water quality.”
Ehler’s farm is home to one of 15 edge-of-field practices installed in Buena Vista County and there are nine more under development, according to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
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, 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 Pork Producers Association, Land Improvement Contractors of America, Montag Manufacturing, and The Nature Conservancy.
To learn more about the campaign and conservation practices that can be implemented, go to CleanWaterIowa.org/CleanWaterStartsHere.