Iowa Learning Farms
Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a Culture of Conservation by encouraging the adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, landowners, researchers and our team are working together to identify and implement the best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable. Based on campus at Iowa State University, Iowa Learning Farms has a statewide network of farmer partners to serve as local contacts and resources to farmers and landowners in their area. Through field days and workshops held across the state, as well as virtual offerings of field days and weekly webinars Iowa Learning Farms strives to offer access to current conservation, water quality and soil health information.
Whole Farm Conservation Best Practices Manual Expands
The Whole Farm Conservation Best Practices Manual has been expanded to make it available free-of-charge for download or in hard copy. This second edition expands the range of practices and decision guides contained in the manual and incorporates feedback from users who have employed the manual since 2020. Designed primarily for farmers just starting out through three years of adopting conservation practices, the manual provides a broad range of information that could be beneficial to any farm producer. The manual is available for free download or in hard copy from the Iowa State Extension Store.
The manual includes detailed information about each conservation practice and includes step-by-step decision worksheets to aid in determining the best practice(s) to meet the goals of the farmer or landowner.
Additional conservation practices in the new release include:
Multipurpose oxbows.
Windbreaks.
Riparian forest buffers.
Bottomland timber establishment.
Sections covering practices such as cover crops, no-till, terraces, ponds, water and sediment control basins and grassed waterways also include expanded, detailed information. In addition, each conservation practice profiled in the manual is covered in detail regarding fit for land type, conservation goals such as reduction in nitrogen-N or phosphorus-P, soil health and wildlife habitat.
Resources and practice information specifically targeted toward agricultural consultants and professionals have been moved out of the manual and established online. This will facilitate access by these individuals while keeping the farmer- and landowner-focused manual streamlined and most effective. The online “Addendum: Decision Tools for Conservation Professionals,” is available for free download from the Conservation Learning Group website.
This manual is a joint publication of Iowa State University and USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, supported by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under No. 6000004181.