There were five webinars announced during the week of March 1. For more information about recently announced field days, visit here.

Recently Announced

March 9 | Using EQIP to Improve Wildfire Habitat on Private Lands

Working lands conservation programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program can be powerful tools for farmers and landowners interested in restoring wildlife habitat. Learn more from Kelsey Fleming, a private lands biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, about how programs like EQIP can provide landowners with financial assistance for wildlife conservation on their farms. Also hear about other technical and financial assistance opportunities available to farmers and landowners. 

March 10 | Cropping System Diversification is a Path to Greater Sustainability

Dr. Matt Liebman, professor of agronomy and H. A. Wallace Chair for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University (ISU), will share the results of a long-term study at the ISU Marsden Farm. The results of this study indicate that diversification of conventional corn-soybean systems with small grains and forage legumes, coupled with integration with livestock production, can allow for large reductions in the use of fertilizers and herbicides and lead to less environmental damage, equivalent profitability, improved soil quality, and higher crop productivity.

March 16 | 2021 Virtual Cover Crop Boot Camp

Fine-tune your spring cover crop plan and cut unnecessary expenses during this two hour boot camp with Chad Bell and Rebecca Clay. Chad and Rebecca will cover crop economics followed by a Q&A. Then, experienced cover cropper Nathan Anderson and new cover crop user Keaton Krueger will discuss planter set up, nitrogen, planting green, and one another’s cover crop challenges and ideas.

March 16 | Pollinators & Climate Change: Making an Impact on the Farm 

Pollinators face many threats, including a changing climate. During this farminar, learn more from Xerces Society climate change lead, Angela Laws, about how climate change impacts pollinators. Then hear from Sarah Nizzi, Xerces Society farm bill pollinator conservation planner and NRCS partner biologist, about the cost-share and technical assistance programs that can help you sustain pollinators on your farm.

March 18 | Improving Water Quality through Stream Stabilization in the East and West Nishnabotna Watersheds

Located in the Loess Hills region of Iowa, the East and West Nishnabotna Watersheds were selected to work with the Iowa Flood Center at the University of Iowa and many other partners to develop Watershed Management Authorities as part of the Iowa Watershed Approach. Through the project, Iowans are working together to address factors that contribute to floods and nutrient flows and enjoy the improvements in quality of life and health resulting from upstream watershed investments. Supported by U.S. Housing & Urban Development dollars, this approach is leveraging the principles of Iowa’s innovative Nutrient Reduction Strategy to make communities more resilient to flooding and help improve water quality.