Source: Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance news release
ANKENY, IA – Farmers, agri-businesses, and water quality professionals can access powerful resources on The Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance’s (IAWA) newly launched website at iaagwater.org. With pages organized by the user’s end goal, such as reducing erosion or improving on-farm drainage, this new website caters to all industry audiences interested in water quality and how they can help.
“IAWA is a connector in the conservation space, so it was really important that we created a connection point where farmers can find information on conservation practices and support,” remarked IAWA Communications Director Rebekah Jones, sharing that IAWA intends to meet farmers where they are. All she asks in return is that they take the first step in conservation.
Some highlights of the new site include:
The Cost Share Hub – a place where farmers can learn about ways to get paid for conservation. This directly leads to costsharecompare.com, another resource built by IAWA.
Conservation Library – where users can find conservation practices that fit their goals like reducing erosion or improving drainage.
Find a Conservation Agronomist – the first conservation agronomist directory for Iowa which points farmers to one-on-one help from agronomists within IAWA’s partner network.
Water Quality 101 – A judgement free zone to learn about water quality in Iowa, how it impacts the Gulf, and how we got to where we are today.
With the organization of the new site, that first step is made easier. Instead of wading through jargon and unfamiliar terms, farmers and conservationists can simply identify their end goal. Then, they will be presented with a library of practices and resources that contribute to that goal. The hope is for farmers to pick one practice and run with it.
Executive Director, Jeff Lucas, highlighted the power of partnerships in building this new resource.
“One of the strengths of IAWA is that we have a huge network of partners that we trust. You will see resources of our partners scattered in and around the site,” Lucas said. He especially highlighted resources from the Iowa Corn, Pork, and Soy commodities, IAWA’s founding members.
While the new website will be an immediate resource to Iowans, the IAWA team is already planning to expand the Cost Share hub to include more resources and add an interactive map for farmers to see conservation practices in their area. “My hope is that it makes it easier to connect, learn, and take action together as we work to increase the pace and scale of farmer-led conservation for water quality here in Iowa,” Lucas said. “This is just the beginning, and I look forward to seeing how this new tool helps us grow our impact.”
