Covering More Ground

In 2024 alone, Iowa farmers planted nearly 3.9 million acres of cover crops, which hold soil in place and prevent runoff - up 92% over the past six years.

Water Quality Progress Adds Up

Iowa farmers use water quality wetlands to reduce nitrate runoff from farms by up to 90%. See how these wetlands work and why Iowa has nearly 70% more of them than it did a decade ago.

Farmers in Action

See how Iowa farmers in your region are teaming up to take on the challenge of improving water quality.

Scaling Up Results

Iowa farmers are quickly adopting new practices to reduce nitrate runoff from farms, like saturated buffers, bioreactors and multi-purpose oxbows. See how farmers more than doubled these practices in just four years!

Doubling Down on Environmental Responsibility

Iowa’s farmers have accelerated their use of cover crops, water quality wetlands, bioreactors, saturated buffers and multi-purpose oxbows to reduce nitrate runoff from farms, increasing adoption by 88% in just five years.

Conservation Counts Iowa

Safe drinking water isn’t optional — it’s essential. And as Iowa's communities and businesses grow, so does our water usage and the challenge of protecting it.

That’s why we need a system-wide solution — from our cities to our farms — with modern, resilient infrastructure built for today’s challenges: from population growth to business expansion to unpredictable weather.

Farmers are taking action, including accelerating their efforts to reduce nitrate runoff from fields. In 2024 alone, Iowa farmers planted nearly 3.9 million acres of cover crops (plants that hold soil in place and prevent runoff), up 92% in just six years.

These practices are making a real difference — but they’re only part of the solution.

To keep up with today's demands, Iowa communities need upgraded water treatment plants, improved stormwater management, and the latest technology in order to continue to safeguard water quality today and for generations.

Together, we’ll continue to make progress by scaling responsible farming practices and modernizing infrastructure ensuring safe drinking water for every Iowan.