Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has formed a partnership with Jasper County and the Jasper County Soil and Water Conservation District to launch the first phase of the South Skunk River Edge of Field Project.
The goal of the first phase of this water quality project is to install more than 25 edge-of-field conservation practices, including bioreactors and saturated buffers, in the South Skunk River watershed. These science-based practices, which are outlined in the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, are proven to improve water quality and reduce the loss of nutrients into Iowa’s waterways.
Iowa’s innovative “batch and build” model modernizes the project management process by installing batches of conservation practices on multiple farms at once, therefore allowing a faster acceleration of water quality progress. Prior to utilizing this more efficient and cost-effective model, projects would be designed and built separately for each individual landowner.
“We are thrilled to partner with Jasper County and the Jasper County Soil and Water Conservation District to get the first phase of this important water quality project moving.” said Secretary Naig. “Edge-of-field practices like bioreactors and saturated buffers help to keep nutrients out of our waterways, and this new partnership with Jasper County will accelerate the installation of these proven practices. We invite farmers and landowners to learn more about how they can join this important effort.”
“The Jasper County Board of Supervisors is happy to partner with the IDALS in an effort to help farmers in Jasper County,” said Brandon Talsma, Chair of the Jasper County Board of Supervisors. “It is our belief that through this partnership and the batch and build process, it will be easier for farmers to participate in voluntary conservation practices such as bioreactors and saturated buffer strips.”
Jasper County will act as the fiscal agent for the project and provide contracting oversight for practice installation. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will reimburse Jasper County for eligible project construction costs and provide technical, design and engineering support. The Jasper County Soil and Water Conservation District will enter into maintenance agreements with landowners, provide technical assistance and issue a certification upon completion.
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Jasper County Conservation Board are also providing additional support to the project. The first phase of this project agreement is in place until June 30, 2028
Source : iowaagriculture.gov