RESOURCES
ICON
IMAGE - Credit: Jason Johnson, Iowa NRCS
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service Land Use Range & Pasture Info
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Whole Farm Ag Decision Maker Tools
Grassland Conservation Practices for a Sustainable System
Pollinator Habitat - Iowa Job Sheet
Forage and Biomass Planting
Biomass, Forage, and Small Grains Info
Prescribed Grazing
Over “herd” on the discussion list: Converting from Cropland to Pasture
Who Doesn’t Want to See More Cattle on the Rolling Green Pastures of Iowa?
Row-Crop to Pasture
Description
There are substantial areas of Iowa, especially in southern counties, in permanent pasture. Pastures can be grouped into several management options including intensively grazed, rotationally grazed, and grazed with cattle fenced off from the stream.
Benefits
Research suggests pasture/hay ground has limited leaching and erosion, thus reduces nitrate-N loss by at least 85% when compared to any land in corn or soybean (same as land retirement). New markets may develop for grass-fed and organic beef.
Although there is little research comparing P loss from pasture and corn-soybean rotation in Iowa, pastures typically have lower soil erosion rates than a corn-soybean rotation on comparable land and can potentially reduce P loss 59%. In addition, pastureland provides wildlife habitat, soil improvement benefits, increases carbon sequestration and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Success Stories
