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Ag in the AM: Farm Input Sought in Nitrate Report

State group seeking farmer input on farm runoff study

DES MOINES, Iowa - The growing concern of farm run-off, and downriver water pollution, is taking center stage in Des Moines.

A 200-page report from a group called the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy is a two year collaboration between the Iowa Agriculture Department, the Department of Natural Resources, and Iowa State University.

It was released Monday for the public to review it and give their comments.

The authors say voluntary practices by farmers and others will go a long way toward lowering nutrient levels across the state.

Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey says it's important to address nutrient reduction now to avoid a worse situation later.

"We believe it's time for farmers to address this, agriculture to address this, and to come up with solutions about what needs to happen," said Northey. 

"We believe that's a better approach than a regulatory approach.  Frankly, if we sit on our hands, someday somebody's going to just say we're going to move to a regulatory approach."

You can read the full report and make comments at nutrientstrategy.IAstate.edu.

Dry Times Continue

Another week of nice weather left farmers unsettled about soil moisture.

The latest Iowa farm survey finds 94 percent of the state experiencing short to very short subsoil moisture levels.

The survey finds this is the driest Iowa`s subsoil has been at the close of the third week in November since 1999.

Dry sub-soil now could lead to problems for farmers during next spring's planting.

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