The Hypoxia Task Force is continuing its work to reduce nutrient loading through the Mississippi River Basin and the size of the Hypoxia zone in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is Co-Chair of the group which represents 12 states in the Mississippi River Basin. He says they recently sent a letter requesting the continuation of support and their partnership with the President and administration leaders.

He says Iowa and many other states in the Mississippi River Basin have instituted a nutrient reduction management strategy that has been successful in reducing the size of the hypoxia zone.

Naig says several of the practices farmers have implemented have had a beneficial effect on the environment and battling problems like hypoxia.

The group’s action plan has a near term target of reducing nutrient loading to the Gulf from the basin by 20 percent by 2025.