Covering More Ground

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 to 92% over the past six years.
Water Quality Progress Adds Up

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

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

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

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.

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 and commercial growth to weather volatility.

Farmers are taking action by accelerating their efforts to reduce nitrate runoff from fields. In 2024 alone, Iowa farmers planted nearly 3.9 million acres of cover crops, up 92% in just six years. These practices hold soil in place and prevent runoff, making a real difference — but they’re only part of the solution.

As communities grow and businesses thrive, water usage increases. Upgraded treatment plants, improved stormwater management, and the latest technology on the farm and in our infrastructure are essential to continue to safeguard water quality for generations.

Working together, we’ll continue to make progress by scaling proven conservation practices, modernizing infrastructure and acting to ensure safe drinking water for every Iowan.