Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced that construction is starting on a “batch and build” water quality project in Tama and Grundy Counties. This project, led by Heartland Co-op, will include the installation of 14 saturated buffers and four bioreactors. These proven edge-of-field practices, which are outlined in the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, improve water quality and reduce the loss of nutrients, like nitrates, into Iowa’s waterways. Together, these 18 practices will treat 24 tile outlets and protect neighboring water sources in the Middle Cedar Watershed.

Iowa’s innovative “batch and build” model modernizes and expedites the installation of edge-of-field practices by batching the design and construction of conservation practices on multiple farms at once, accelerating water quality progress. This is the third “batch and build” project led by Heartland Co-op that has gone to the construction phase in the past two years. They have two additional batches already in the planning phase for construction beginning in 2026.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is providing technical, design, and engineering support as well as cost-share for practice installation. Heartland Co-op is overseeing the project by leading landowner outreach and recruitment, site planning and project oversight. Iowa Seed Association is the fiscal agent, ISG Inc. provides design services, and Laser Precision is the contractor installing the practices. The project requires no out-of-pocket expenses from landowners and provides a privately funded temporary construction easement payment per tile outlet treated.

This project was made possible with support from the Tama County Soil and Water Conservation District and Grundy County Soil and Water Conservation District as well as additional funding provided by the Cedar River Source Water Partnership, Agriculture’s Clean Water Alliance, BASF, Iowa Nutrient Research and Education Council, Iowa Seed Association, Syngenta and Unilever. Construction is anticipated to be complete by Fall of 2025.