April 22, 2022

2022 April Stewardship Advocate

Happy planting season! Please be safe during this busy time of year!

Next time the rain causes a break in the action, be sure to nominate your friends and neighbors for the Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Awards. Nominations will be accepted until May 2 with the awards ceremony in August at the Iowa State Fair. Click here for more information.

While you’re doing field work, watch out for gullies and other erosion problems. Take time to fix the problem with grass waterways or terraces rather than filling it in with tillage every year. If it’s highly erodible land (HEL), gullies can cause conservation compliance issues and risk USDA farm program benefits.

In cost share program news, USDA has announced a signup period for Clean Lakes, Estuaries and Rivers (CLEAR30). This program is similar to CRP with annual rental payments but with 30-year contracts. Click here for more information about eligibility. The signup period is April 1 to August 5.

Finally, don’t forget about the partnership between National Corn Growers Association and Pheasants Forever (PF). The collaboration provides free technical assistance, including a site visit by a PF biologist, to help farmers evaluate conservation concerns including pollinator habitat. For more information or to request a site visit, click here, email pollinator@pfqf.org, or call Brent Rudolph at 517-980-4570.

Ben Gleason, former Iowa Corn Senior Sustainability Manager is now the Executive Director at the Iowa Nutrient Research & Education Council. Feel free to reach out to Iowa Corn at corninfo@iowacorn.org with any questions or feedback on Iowa Corn’s Water Quality, Conservation and Sustainability Programs.