Clean Water in Iowa Starts Here Tour Stops in Marshall County
Campaign encourages all Iowans to take an active role in improving water quality
DES MOINES, Iowa (Nov. 4, 2020) – The Clean Water in Iowa Starts Here tour will stop at the Iowa Land Improvement Contractors Association (LICA) demonstration farm east of Melbourne, Iowa today.
LICA is a group of professional contractors who are dedicated to building land-based structures that help improve soil health and water quality. These contractors partner with farmers and landowners to add permanent conservation practices to their fields to protect our resources for the next generation of farmers.
LICA has an 80-acre farm to showcase a variety of conservation practices that are commonly used in Iowa, including bioreactors, buffer strips, saturated buffers, terraces and wetlands.
“LICA members play a very important role in the construction of conservation practices that will help farmers and landowners care for their land and meet Iowa’s water quality goals,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “The LICA farm is a great place for farmers and landowners to see these practices at work so they can determine which are the best fit for their farms.”
“Iowa LICA members are committed to the preservation and restoration of Iowa's land and water resources,” said Troy Resor, President of Iowa LICA.
To learn more about Iowa LICA, visit ialica.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, 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 Land Improvement Contractors Association (LICA), Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Soybean Association, 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.