The role of farmers in water quality

The article “Stop Talking About Iowa’s Dirty Water, or Else” raises important concerns about Iowa’s water quality but oversimplifies the issue by portraying it as a black-and-white policy discussion.

In reality, water quality improvement requires nuanced, collaborative solutions involving all levels of government and public/private stakeholders. While there is still much work to be done, dismissing the efforts of Iowa legislators and farmers as ineffective or indifferent is misleading. Iowa farmers are proactively adopting conservation practices but need continued support to scale these efforts.

The Middle Cedar Partnership Project is a great example of a collaborative effort to improve water quality in the Middle Cedar River watershed. The partnership includes over 15 member organizations, both public and non-governmental, working together towards the goal of reducing nutrient pollution.

The project seeks to reduce runoff from agricultural land, improve soil health, and protect water sources for communities, while also supporting local farmers with cost-share programs and educational resources. It involves a combination of conservation practices, including planting cover crops, installing buffer strips, and promoting sustainable farming techniques. Initial funding for the partnership was granted less than a decade ago and as of 2022, more than 1,000 landowners and farmers in the watershed have participated in adopting a new conservation practice.

On our own family farm, we have worked with both local and federal government agencies to develop strategies that work for our operation. This includes strategically locating waterways and buffer strips to control erosion and implementing more efficient fertilizer application strategies, which have allowed us to reduce the amount of fertilizer applied. Additionally, we continue to actively monitor the nitrate levels in the tile lines leaving our fields to verify what is happening in our soils.

Statewide, Iowa has seen increased adoption of cover crops, bioreactors, and, wetland restorations. As of 2023, 3.8 million acres of cover crops have been planted, a sharp increase from 10,000 acres in 2009. These crops reduce soil erosion, improve soil health, and filter nutrients, with research showing they can prevent up to 31% of nitrate and 29% of phosphorus from reaching waterways. Bioreactors and saturated buffers have similarly grown, with 439 installed to date to treat drainage water, compared to just 35 a decade ago.

Scaling edge-of-field and in-field practices is vital. Organizations like the Iowa Farm Bureau and the Iowa Soybean Association actively support projects like the Iowa Nutrient Research & Education Council and the Agriculture Clean Water Alliance to address these challenges. Achieving Iowa’s water quality goals also require continued public investment in research, innovation, and technical assistance for farmers.

Water quality discussions must also consider the economic realities of Iowa’s agriculture industry, which contributes over $159.5 billion annually—accounting for one in every three dollars in Iowa’s economy— and supports approximately one in five Iowa jobs. Collaborative strategies are critical for ensuring agricultural practices support both environmental and economic health.

Addressing water quality is a complex but shared challenge, and progress will depend on sustained collaboration and pragmatic solutions. While immediate improvements in water quality are desirable, transforming the landscape will take time. What remains unwavering, however, is farmers’ deep-rooted commitment to protecting natural resources today today and for generations to come.

Joshua Henik lives in Mount Vernon and grew up on a seventh-generation family farm near Mount Vernon.