The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance announced a new action plan focused on accelerated implementation of conservation practices focused on water quality at the Farm Progress show yesterday. The Iowa Corn Growers Association is a founding member of the alliance and CEO Craig Floss says the multi-pronged plan includes a council focused on implementing all the strategies in the nutrient management plan.

Floss says the are also forming a public, private partnership to work on water quality.

The big sticking point has been funding water quality efforts and he says the state has received a grant to assist with their plan.

However, he says $11 million will not go far, so he expects the state legislature to revisit a funding mechanism for the estimated $1 billion implementation price tag on the state’s nutrient management plan.