ISA receives $800,000 conservation grant
Boone River watershed to be part of studyBy Lori Berglund Daily Freeman-Journal Editor
Article Photos
If there's one thing most farmers hate, it's someone else trying to tell them how to farm their land. The Iowa Soybean Association - a producer led organization - is attempting to help farmers stay one step ahead of the curve when it comes any future regulation by gathering data that helps farmers make management decisions that are both profitable for their own operation, and friendly to the environment.
On Tuesday, the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) got a major leg up on that goal in its announcement of an $800,000 grant from the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that will fund a 30-month, in-depth study of northcentral Iowa watersheds.
The grant and watershed project will build on work already underway by the ISA in collecting data from a number of points in the Boone River watershed.
ISA officials said the goal is to gather accurate scientific data and then form performance-based recommendations from that information.
Known as a "Conservation Innovation Grant," funding for this program will begin in September and continue through March 2011. Listed goals for the project include:
area-wide planning for four watersheds.
demonstration of public and private stakeholder involvement
natural resource monitoring, measurement and applied evaluation
documentation of management practices and impact on soil carbon levels, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy use efficiency
creation of individual enhanced RMS plans for more than 100 farmers
linkage of individual Resource Management Systems plans to the watershed/area-wide planning
a network of Certified Crop Advisor Teams trained to provide enhanced technical assistance
individual and aggregate case studies.
The first step starts at the water source, with monitoring stations to be set up in both the Boone River and Raccoon River watersheds. Four stations will be placed in Lyons Creek, north of Webster City. These sites will collect samples based on differing water levels. Tested at the Des Moines Waterworks, a cooperating agency, the samples will test for nitrates, phosphorus, e-coli, and will also take a look at dissolved oxygen levels.
The announcement of the grant was made during a meeting of the ISA at Briggs Woods Golf Course Tuesday afternoon.
The ISA has long been active in watershed research on behalf of its farmer/members.
"This grant is a good example of how our work in Iowa's watersheds is attracting significant federal and other outside investment in Iowa's natural resources. We believe that our ongoing investment in agricultural and environmental performance made through the Soybean Checkoff are critical in leveraging these opportunities," said Curt Sindergard, president of the Iowa Soybean Association
It's also important that any environmental recommendations are also friendly to farmers.
Also in attendance Tuesday was Larry Beeler, assistant state conservationist with the NRCS. Beeler said he looks forward to this program generating "measurable outcomes" that will help facilitate better resource planning at the local watershed level. The goal, he added, is to "stimulate conservation technology new to our producers, new to our agency."
He also looked forward to working with the ISA on this project.
Ron Heck, a producer from Perry and director for ISA was also in attendance. He noted that the $800,000 was awarded on a competitive grant basis and gave kudos to the staff of ISA for landing the funding. He also placed his confidence in that staff for generating the results from this study that will benefit producers while also serving the environment.
"Great benefits for farmers and great environmental performance," those are the goals, Heck noted.
Contact Lori Berglund at editor@freemanjournal.net
