Search

Conservation Learning Group Manual Awarded Blue Ribbon for Conservation Manual

July 26, 2021

The Conservation Learning Group, a think tank-based organization at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach dedicated to addressing conservation and environmental challenges, has been recognized by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers with a 2021 Educational Aids Blue Ribbon for CLG’s Whole Farm Conservation Best Practices Manual. 

New dashboard tracks Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy

August 19, 2021

A new user-friendly dashboard for the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy was released Aug. 13, 2021, which uses visual reporting tools, like charts, graphs and maps, to share the data instead of a longer, narrative-based report. The information for the 2020 report update is included within the dashboard. Moving forward, the online dashboards will be updated regularly as data is collected from a variety of sources and partners.

Iowa Water Center, INRC funding opportunity for research on water quality, well-being linkages

September 21, 2021

The Iowa Water Center and Iowa Nutrient Research Center at Iowa State University will jointly fund research to explore the linkages between water quality and social well-being for Iowa communities. Projects must be led by Iowa State University, the University of Iowa or the University of Northern Iowa. Applicants must submit a proposal intention by Nov. 1, 2021, with full proposals due November 15. Funded projects may start as early as March 2022.

New grant will help ISU researchers break new ground with perennial cover crops

October 15, 2021

Iowa State University scientists, including Raj Raman, agricultural and biosystems engineering, are leading a multi-institutional effort to reimagine cover crops by using perennial groundcovers to protect the environment and benefit crop production. The researchers recently received a $10 million grant to support their work. The Iowa Nutrient Research is proud to have funded some of the preliminary work that set the stage for this exciting project.

USDA Increases Crop Insurance Flexibility for Cover Crop Management

July 1, 2019

USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have announced new policies within crop insurance that will provide added flexibility for managing cover crops, beginning with the 2020 crop year.

Can corn benefit from social distancing?

April 13, 2021

Alison Robertson, plant pathology and microbiology, discusses findings from INRC-supported research on potential benefits of spacing cereal rye cover crop plantings from corn crop seedings in “Corn and Soybean Digest.”   

Conservation Takes Teamwork

April 2, 2019

The Roadman family owns a farm in Grundy County on a tributary of the Cedar River that has been in the family for five generations. Years ago, Larry Roadman’s grandfather established Roadman Memorial Park to honor his father. Inspired by their love of Iowa and its land, the family conservation tradition continues with adoption of new practices like prairie strips and a saturated riparian buffer. 

Wetland Ecosystem Services: How wetlands can benefit Iowans.

May 14, 2020

wetland with yellow flowers in foregroundKay Stefanik, Assistant Director, Iowa Nutrient Research Center, discusses the ecological services wetlands provide in the Iowa agricultural landscape, in a blog post for the Iowa Learning Farms/Conservation Learning Group.  

Soil study shows why nitrous oxide emissions should factor into climate change mitigation

November 11, 2021

A newly published study found that poorly drained agricultural soils emit enough of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide that the resulting climate change effects could far exceed the benefits of using the same soils as a means of sequestering carbon.The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was authored by Steven Hall, associate professor of ecology, evolution and organismal biology; Nathaniel Lawrence, ISU graduate student in ecology, evolution and organismal biology; Carlos Tenesaca, research scientist in ecology, evolution and organismal biology; and Andy VanLoocke, associate professor of agronomy. Funders for the work included the Iowa Nutrient Research Center. 

Pages