Iowa farmers and landowners invested more than $75 million in conservation practices last year in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Iowa farmers contracted with NRCS to address natural resource concerns such as soil erosion and water quality on about 258,000 private land acres in fiscal year 2025 (FY25) through four major farm bill conservation programs —the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).

Overall, NRCS obligated $75.3 million in conservation practice funding to Iowa farmers in FY25 through 1,337 farm bill program contracts. 

“Iowa is unique in the way we partner with so many others to implement conservation plans, practices and programs,” said State Conservationist Jon Hubbert, noting the agency works with Iowa farmers, contractors, agribusiness companies, and state and local government agencies. “It’s great to see the continued interest in conservation here in Iowa. 

“Working together with Iowa landowners, we can help them meet their conservation goals.”

Program breakdown

About 43% of new federal conservation funding in Iowa was contracted through EQIP — a voluntary program where farmers can choose from a conservation list developed at the county level to improve environmental quality on working farmland. 

Through EQIP, NRCS obligated $32.2 million covering 65,658 acres through 467 contracts. 

Lucas County led the state with 18 new EQIP contracts that will help treat resource concerns on 2,553 acres with funding of nearly $1.4 million. Wapello County was second in Iowa with 16 contracts covering 5,450 acres, and Wayne County had the third most EQIP contracts with 15, covering 2,541 acres.

Statewide, through the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI), Iowa NRCS obligated more than $4.6 million, covering 15,840 acres through 50 new contracts to assist landowners in adopting practices that will minimize the contributions of nitrogen and phosphorus to surface waters within the Mississippi River basin.

Additionally, Iowa NRCS obligated more than $5 million to fund wildlife habitat practices statewide through 276 contracts, covering about 10,500 acres. Some of the practices include conservation cover, brush management, tree/shrub establishment, wetland restoration and wildlife habitat planting.

Through the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI), Iowa NRCS obligated nearly $1.5 million through 19 contracts covering 3,658 acres. 

CSP contracts

Additionally, Iowa NRCS provided $21 million in funding through new and re­­newed CSP contracts during the past year to 320 landowners who signed five-year contracts, covering about 142,000 acres. 

CSP helps farmers build a customized plan to meet their conservation goals.

Jackson County led the state for the third consecutive year with 30 new and renewed CSP contracts, totaling 6,878 acres, with funding of nearly $1.5 million. Jones County was next with 24 contracts, covering 17,467 acres and $2.6 million in funding. Winneshiek County had the third most CSP contracts with 22, covering 6,638 acres and more than $1 million in funding. 

Farmers and landowners can sign up for farm bill conservation programs on a continuous basis at county NRCS offices.