In addition to providing the best possible animal care, Iowa farm families work to minimize their impact on the environment and protect soil and water quality.

On his crop fields in Sac County, Iowa farmer Josh Berg uses no-till farming practices, which help hold nitrogen and other nutrients in the soil. The Bergs also use buffer strips, terraces and grassed waterways to control soil erosion and help protect water quality.

In addition, the Bergs apply turkey manure to their crops as a high-quality fertilizer. They follow a manure management plan for proper application, and they test the soil regularly to ensure they aren’t overapplying fertilizer.

“We’re not putting extra nitrogen on the soil if we don’t need to,” says Josh, a Sac County Farm Bureau member. “What we put on is conservative; we don’t overapply.”

Renee and Chad Adams, who raise hogs in Jones County, use hog manure as a natural fertilizer on their crop fields. “There’s a very big benefit of the manure. It’s very, very beneficial to the soil,” says Renee, a Jones County Farm Bureau member.

The manure is injected into the ground to deliver the nutrients at the roots, where they are most needed, she explains.

Renee also says they test the manure and the soil to ensure that the nutrients are applied at the right amount, at the right place and at the right time.

For both families, the goal is to make careful use of nutrients while protecting the soil and water resources their farms depend on.