Conservation is needed to save Iowa’s soil

The greatest asset in Iowa is the people; the next is the soil.

Those two resources heavily rely on each other to support the entire state. Both the positive and negative fruits of Iowa farmers’ labor go beyond individual fields, and instead impact the entire state and country. Sadly, one of those assets is in extraordinary decline. Various studies estimate Iowa and other states in the Midwest have lost around 30-40% of our topsoil due to erosion since we first started farming it. While rain runoff erodes away topsoil in many fields, it also takes along fertilizers that create unacceptable levels of nitrates in our water, both shutting down beaches and endangering health without significant extra treatment for drinking water.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that there are practices that can reverse our course. These can include no-till, strip till, buffer strips, bioreactors, wetlands, and cover crops. Adoption of those practices continues to increase, but we are at a turning point where adoption rates must increase to reach our goals. We are up to nearly 4 million acres of Iowa farmland in cover crops, for instance, but that still represents less than 15% of total farmland.

Cover crops improve soil health, reduce soil erosion, reduce nitrate runoff into waterways, and can reduce the need for pesticides, herbicides, and synthetic fertilizers. One of the most significant and presently relevant benefits of cover crops is improved water infiltration and retainment. In the drought Iowa has experienced the last couple of summers, the roots of cover crops help carry the small amounts of rain and snowmelt to the depths of the soil, which maintains moisture levels for the next growing season. In heavy rains, cover crops help the water to soak in, rather than flow away via gullies that also remove valuable topsoil and nutrients.

Everyone can have a role to play in accelerating the adoption rate of conservation practices that protect Iowa’s resources. Many levels of organizations can urge adoption, including local conservation districts, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Department of Natural Resources, and the federal Natural Resources Conservation Services, plus local chapters and organizations like the Izaak Walton League, Wings2Water, and Practical Farmers of Iowa. Everyone, regardless of their agricultural background, can get informed and urge conservation adoption, acknowledging that the impacts reach all Iowans.

However, the greatest responsibility lies with farmers throughout the state to recognize the wide-reaching impact our practices have. There is a significant moral obligation, but doing nothing also will affect the bottom line — maybe not today, but certainly for future farmers when we have exhausted our topsoil and nutrients.

There are some parts of the state and the Cedar Rapids area that are participating heavily in these practices. When you drive through areas of western Linn and eastern Benton counties, take note of the signs that say, “Conservation in Action.” These mark fields where farmers have planted cover crops, adopted no-till or reduced tillage practices, or installed bioreactors, wetlands, or other vital conservation practices. Hopefully in a couple of years you will be able to see these kinds of signs all across the state. If not, the soil that has defined our state for so long may no longer be able to support our livelihoods.

Dan Voss is a longtime farmer in Western Linn County. He received the 2023 Iowa Conservation Farmer of the Year Award.