Iowa Legislature commits to continued water quality improvement

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey on Friday highlighted the Iowa Legislature’s continued commitment to partnering with farmers to make significant long-term progress in protecting Iowa’s soil and water resources.

The Iowa Legislature approved $9.6 million to support the Iowa Water Quality Initiative in the next fiscal year, which starts July 1. The legislation now goes to Gov. Branstad and must be signed before going into effect.

“Farmers have greatly increased their financial commitment to improving water quality in recent years and I appreciate our state’s leaders doing the same. Iowa is a model nationally for the progress that can be made on this important issue. These funds will allow us to continue to expand our water quality efforts and engage more Iowans,” Northey said.

The Legislature provided $4.4 million for water quality in the Agriculture and Natural Resources appropriation bill (SF 494). In addition, $5.2 million was included in the in Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund (RIIF budget, HF 650), $450,000 of which will be allocated to the Nutrient Research Center for “nutrient water monitoring network technology and equipment.”

The funds will allow the ag department to continue to offer cost-share statewide to farmers trying new water quality practices, continue work in targeted watersheds to achieve measurable water quality improvements, expand urban conservation efforts, and develop new programs to help engage all Iowans in improving water quality.

The appropriation for the department also includes $6.75 million for conservation cost-share. For more than four decades, Iowa’s soil conservation cost-share program has encouraged the adoption of conservation structures and practices to protect and preserve our state’s natural resources and improve water quality.

$1.92 million was also appropriated to support the closure of eight additional agriculture drainage wells in the state to protect groundwater quality.

In addition to the funds approved for the department for water quality, $1.35 million was also provided to the Nutrient Research Center at Iowa State University to evaluate the performance of current and emerging nutrient management practices and help develop new practices. Iowa State also received a $1.23 million appropriation for a three-year pilot project to work in partnership with agriculture retailers to quantify infield activities focused on improving water quality.

Source: IowaPork