Three Iowa agricultural groups, the Corn and Soybean Grower Associations and Pork Producers have formed the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance. Sean McMahon is the Alliance’s new director and chairman of the groups is Iowa Soybean Association CEO Kirk Leeds. Iowa Soybean Association President Brian Kemp says the purpose of the group is to implement the nutrient reduction management strategy brought forward by State Ag Secretary Bill Northey.
Kemp says the Alliance wants to be able to help farmers measure the water quality they’ve achieved with their production practices.
He says besides conservation tillage he has implemented several nutrient reduction practices on his own operation near Sibley in Northwest Iowa.
Kemp says the Alliance also wants to make sure to curtail efforts that would lead to a regulatory regime for fertilizer applications in Iowa.