The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy has celebrated its first decade, and we are still seeing tremendous growth of farmers putting acres into more conservation practices. In fact, as we celebrate the first ten years in 2023, we can also celebrate that Iowa has again set a record for acres enrolled in cover crops.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) recently announced that we have four million acres enrolled in cover crop cost-share programs through IDALS. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig talks about the milestone and what it means for the program to have more and more acres signed up.
Naig says that this fall and last fall were dry, and many may have thought that conditions were less than ideal for establishing cover crops and a new way of farming. However, timely rains made it work out and led to a burst in signups for cost-share programs. Naig says that after last year, he urges farmers to take the chance and take advantage of the programs.
In addition to these programs, Iowa set a record for conservation in the state. He said the numbers for sign-ups are exciting.
While some critics may say that progress isn’t being made fast enough. To that Secretary Naig says that these kinds of changes are not going to happen magically overnight. Farmers want to know that any changes they are making to their operation are going to be successful, profitable, and going to have sound, proven results in the future.
