Improving Iowa’s water requires behavioral change

On Sunday Sept. 18, The Gazette published a guest column from farmer John Gilbert 'Water quality: Four conclusions, and one fear.” John makes many good points, but as a fellow farmer, I take exception to a couple of his points starting with his first conclusion there are no easy answers. There is, but first we need to examine the factors impacting water quality.

The pollution impairing our surface waters comes from either point or non-point sources. Point sources such as discharge from a factories, municipalities or spills of toxic chemicals and fertilizers are easy to identify and cure because we know the specific source. Non-point sources come from surface runoff, and, since over 90 percent of Iowa's land surface is agricultural, farmers are primarily responsible.

The number one pollutant in our surface water is soil sediment from soil erosion. The start of soil erosion is the impact of a single raindrop striking unprotected soil sending it into solution (separating the sand, silt and clay of a soil particle) enabling it to move, along with the water, off the land to our surface water. If that raindrop strikes crop residue, the force of it is dissipated allowing the excess water to escape w/o carrying the soil. Almost all impaired Iowa waters are designated so because of soil sediment which means the problem can be solved if we keep soil on the land.

We keep it on the land by keeping the land protected with a growing crop or crop residue. Crop residue is destroyed by tillage and pulling steel through the soil destroys soil structure. Easy solution - stop tillage because, after all is said and done, it is the cause of soil erosion!

'Why you idiot! Everyone knows you can't grow row crops w/o tillage! And, besides that my heavy soil has to be tilled every year.” Believe me - after 30 + years of continuous no-till and as an outspoken advocate - I've heard ALL the excuses! Two points - 1. Mother Nature NEVER created a soil that required tillage! 2. Tillage is an addiction! Those of you fall-tilling bean stubble are the absolute worst polluters and in dire need of an intervention! Although I'm a strong supporter of the voluntary 'carrot” approach, you guys make the mandatory 'stick” a quite reasonable option!

My last criticism of Mr. Gilbert is his assertions 'We're not going to make progress on water quality or soil conservation as long as we insist on full-throttle ag production.” & 'Adopting a production-is-all-that-matters mentality means things like soil erosion and water pollution become acceptable.” 'Full throttle” production does NOT equate to increased soil erosion!

Our success depends on 'full throttle” production, and we cannot simply afford a rotation other than cash crops because most corn and soybeans growers have little use for a grass or legume in the rotation. In fact, I could argue a continuous no-till corn rotation might be the most sustainable and least erosive option of all! Continuous corn produces the most crop residue, and, when left on the surface, returns more organic matter to the soil. It is certainly 'full throttle!”

I agree nitrates in the drinking water gets 'most of the press” largely because the press coverage afforded the Des Moines Waterworks and its controversial and flamboyant director by the so-called 'newspaper Iowa depends on” - Des Moines Register! Nitrates have little to do with Iowa's impaired waters, but are critical when dealing with Iowa's voluntary Nutrient Reduction Strategy to deal with the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico. However, the nitrate problem can be solved by adding cover crops, in addition to no-till.

Despite the fact all farmers aren't guilty of polluting our water, the fact remains most runoff and non-point pollution comes from agricultural land! And, the ONLY way to solve the problem is a behavioral change by most farmers! We need to eliminate tillage and plant more cover crops! All the money in the world WON'T solve the problem, but merely purchase damn expensive 'Band-Aids!”

' Jerry Crew, of Webb, is a husband, father, grandfather and recently retired no-till farmer for more than 30 years. He is devoted to his savior, family, country and preservation of God's greatest gift (after children) - our precious topsoil. During his 13 years in the Air Force, he was privileged to fly in the back seat of the SR-71 - still the world's fastest airplane!