Iowa
Farmers poised to accelerate conservation efforts, ag secretary says – Iowa Capital Dispatch
A matured physique of analysis to scale back farm air pollution and soil erosion — mixed with state and federal funding and steerage to implement these practices — will result in enhanced conservation within the coming years, in keeping with Mike Naig, the state secretary of agriculture.
“We actually turned the web page,” Naig informed a gathering on the Farm Progress Present on Tuesday.
He estimates that within the subsequent three years, Iowa farmers will implement extra bioreactors and saturated buffers on the edges of their fields to scale back the water air pollution of fertilizers “than we’ve constructed thus far.”
Though analysis has lengthy pointed to crop fertilizers as a major pollutant to the state’s waterways — and a major contributor to an space of the Gulf Coast that’s largely void of aquatic life — there was resistance to the notion that farmers are responsible.
That concept was prominently debated in 2015 when Des Moines Water Works — the provider of consuming water to greater than a half million folks in central Iowa — sued three northwest Iowa counties for the nitrate that leached from farm fields into the Raccoon River, a major supply of consuming water for the utility.
Northwest Iowa traditionally consisted of flat, water-soaked land that’s now drained by an immense community of underground tubes that circulate into waterways. New tile traces are nonetheless being put in.
They’re important to producing the best crop yields in these fields, however additionally they are a direct conduit for fertilizer into the state’s rivers.
In a novel authorized argument that in the end failed in federal courtroom, Des Moines Water Works argued that drainage districts must be regulated in the identical method as “level supply” polluters akin to wastewater therapy crops and others. Its lawsuit drew the ire of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation — which known as the litigation “un-Iowan” — and pushback from farmers who claimed that nitrate is a naturally occurring substance within the soil and that it’s unimaginable to say whether or not fertilizers are the offender.
Including to the confusion: Pronounced contamination of the Raccoon River depends on vital rainfall. Des Moines Water Works was pressured to activate its nitrate-removal system this 12 months for the primary time in 5 years after a really moist spring.
Infants who devour water with excessive ranges of nitrate are susceptible to having diminished oxygen of their blood. The fertilizer can even feed poisonous blue-green algae blooms in lakes and ponds that pose well being dangers to swimmers.
Environmental teams crucial of state’s voluntary air pollution management efforts
“The ‘pure’ nitrate argument is intellectually dishonest and continues to be pushed by huge ag firms to distract from the actual options Iowa wants to deal with our water high quality points,” stated Alicia Vasto, water program affiliate director for the Iowa Environmental Council.
The council is a outstanding advocacy group that just lately launched a crucial report of the state’s Nutrient Discount Technique, a 9-year-old plan that depends on the voluntary cooperation of farmers to scale back fertilizer runoff. Primarily based on present progress, that report estimated that the technique will take greater than 22,000 years to perform a few of its objectives.
“For many years, Iowa has relied on voluntary and publicly funded conservation measures to realize nitrogen and phosphorus reductions in our state waterways,” Vasto stated. “These voluntary measures aren’t sufficient.”
Authorities officers, farmers resist mandates
However that’s the path that has been taken thus far by state and federal officers who’re reluctant to impose mandates for farmers. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack stated this week that voluntary measures are higher than authorities mandates.
“It could be a slower course of than many would love, however from a perspective from the farmer, I’m jeopardizing my skill to remain in enterprise if I make the unhealthy selections,” stated Roger Zylstra, a Jasper County farmer of greater than 40 years who serves on the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and hosted a dialogue about soil and water high quality on the Farm Progress Present.
He stated conservation practices promoted by the voluntary state technique are being adopted by extra farmers as they’re fine-tuned by early adopters with the help of the state. He stated farmers are additionally now higher conscious of the consequences of fertilizers on water high quality and the financial advantages of a few of the practices.
The latest progress of the technique is tough to quantify as a result of an annual report has not been issued by the state since 2019. As a substitute, that data can be revealed in on-line dashboards which might be below growth, stated Don McDowell, a spokesperson for the Iowa Division of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. He has stated the dashboards can be up to date later this 12 months.
“Iowans deserve extra transparency on how we’re doing, and why we aren’t making progress quicker,” stated Michael Schmidt, workers legal professional for the Iowa Environmental Council.
Advocates, teachers level to over-application of fertilizer
Schmidt famous that there was minimal change in farmers’ attitudes towards the Nutrient Discount Technique within the final revealed report. He stated a diminished use of fertilizers would have a direct impression on the surroundings. It must also scale back the prices to farmers, particularly now when fertilizer costs are so excessive.
Mike Castellano, a professor of agronomy at Iowa State College, stated Tuesday that analysis has proven there is a perfect quantity of fertilizer that may be utilized to fields to maximise crop productiveness and preserve wholesome soil. An excessive amount of fertilizer can result in lesser crop root progress, which in flip can result in much less carbon within the soil, he stated. He known as overfertilization “an financial loss but in addition an environmental price.”
But some farmers nonetheless do it, purportedly to make sure most crop yields. A northern Iowa farmer was just lately fined by the Iowa Division of Pure Sources for spreading an excessive amount of manure on his fields for years.
Naig has touted the growing variety of wetlands being constructed in Iowa to filter fertilizers from water earlier than they attain rivers. He stated the creation of bioreactors — which are sometimes trenches which might be crammed with wooden chips and occupy much less house than the wetlands — is ready to speed up.
He stated Tuesday that cowl crops are actually planted on shut to three million acres of Iowa cropland. That’s a dramatic enhance prior to now decade however solely quantities to about 13% of whole cropland and is only a quarter of the state’s aim.
Naig, a Republican, is being challenged within the November election by John Norwood, a Democrat, who needs the state to be faster to enhance water high quality and minimize soil erosion. Norwood has described the Nutrient Discount Technique as “a method in identify solely.”
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Iowa men’s golf team finished two rounds of play at the Fighting Irish Classic on Sunday. The Hawkeyes currently sit in sixth place out of 15 teams.
Sophomore Noah Kent and junior Gage Messingham are both leading the Hawkeyes, tied for 8th place overall. Kent shot 1-over (71) in the first round and 1-under (69) in the second round, finishing with a total score of 140. Messingham join Kent as the only other Hawkeye to go under-par today in a round.
Sophomore Max Tjoa is tied for 37th place, shooting rounds of 74 and 72, with a total score of 146. Senior Chance Rinkol posted scores of 71 and 77 in the first and second rounds, respectively, and sits tied for 51st place with a score of 148. Senior Josh Lundmark recorded rounds of 79 and 71, finishing tied for 64th place with a total score of 150.
HAWKEYE SCORECARD
| 6/15 | Team | +5 | +3 | 148 |
| T8 | Gage Messingham | -1 | +1 | 140 |
| T8 | Noah Kent | +1 | -1 | 140 |
| T37 | Max Tjoa | +4 | +2 | 146 |
| T51 | Chance Rinkol | +1 | +7 | 148 |
| T64 | Josh Lundmark | +9 | +1 | 150 |
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH TYLER STITH
“Today was a very strong team performance with Noah and Gage leading the way. We showed a lot of grit all day but especially down the stretch. We’re in a great position heading into the final round.”
UP NEXT
The final round of the Fighting Irish Classic is set to tee off on Monday morning.
Nebraska volleyball entered October a perfect 38-0 against Iowa all-time. That number is now 39-0.
The No. 2 Huskers (14-1, 4-0 Big Ten) swept the Hawkeyes (8-8, 2-2 Big Ten), 25-17, 25-11, 25-13. This is the eighth-straight sweep for Nebraska over Iowa and 11th-straight win since falling at SMU.
Nebraska’s offense hit a blistering .404, led by 10 kills on .400 hitting from Merritt Beason.
The story of the day was the middles, though. With Andi Jackson out again, Leyla Blackwell earned the start alongside Rebekah Allick. The pair notched nine kills each, with Blackwell hitting .692 and Allick hitting .583. They also combined for five blocks.
Bergen Reilly dished out 35 assists.
Iowa managed to hit just .155, but did have the player with a match-high for kills: Michel Urquahart at 11.
Nebraska is back in action Friday, hosting No. 10 Purdue.
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Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.
Video: Jay Higgins on Iowa’s defensive performance in loss to Ohio State
Jay Higgins discusses a variety of topics after Iowa’s 35-7 loss to Ohio State.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz made his view of the quarterback position pretty clear after Saturday’s 35-7 loss at Ohio State.
No, the Hawkeyes are not headed for a change at quarterback, Ferentz said.
“We’re not ready, I think, to have a controversy at that position,” the longtime head coach said.
The loss to Ohio State again illustrated the gap between Iowa and national powerhouses. The Hawkeyes haven’t beaten one of the three giants of the Big Ten — Penn State, Michigan or Ohio State — since a 2021 win over the Nittany Lions. Against ranked opponents last season, Iowa was beaten a combined 92-0.
Perhaps you could point to the fact that Iowa at least scored on Saturday as progress. But in reality, Saturday’s margin was similar to those three games last season.
More: Leistikow: Rating concern levels for Iowa football at quarterback, offensive line, defense
The quarterback position wasn’t good enough on Saturday. Cade McNamara finished the game 14-of-20 passing for 98 yards and three turnovers — two fumbles and one interception. Just like the game itself, the quarterback play fit an old, tired narrative.
When, if ever, will Iowa’s quarterback woes finally be solved?
To be clear, quarterback production was not the only deficient area on Saturday. The Hawkeyes were beaten in the trenches — on both sides of the ball — and outgained 203-116 on the ground. Iowa’s defense also gave up four touchdowns through the air.
After Iowa trailed just 7-0 at the break, it got ugly in the second half. Ohio State is a legitimate national championship threat, and the Hawkeyes didn’t do much in the third and fourth quarters to show they could compete at that level.
“The bottom line is, you’ve got to play clean football against a team like this,” Ferentz said. “We weren’t able to do that. They get some credit on that, too.”
Kirk Ferentz on Cade McNamara after loss to Ohio State: ‘Cade will be fine’
Kirk Ferentz discusses a variety of topics after Iowa’s 35-7 loss to Ohio State.
Since the 2019 departure of Nate Stanley, Iowa’s quarterback struggles have been no secret. Whether it be Spencer Petras or Alex Padilla or Deacon Hill, Iowa hasn’t gotten necessary production from that position. There was optimism that McNamara, once a prized transfer from Michigan, would be the solution.
Through the first 10 games of his Iowa career, McNamara has fallen short of that.
The lowest bar for McNamara to clear as Iowa’s quarterback — taking care of the ball — is something he was unable to do on Saturday.
McNamara’s turnovers came on three consecutive possessions to open the second half, all but erasing any first-half hope that Iowa had managed to build.
Because Iowa lives in such thin margins, avoiding turnovers is paramount, even more so against a team like Ohio State. The lack of ball security was a reason the quarterback position was such a disaster at Iowa last season. Hill finished the season with a ratio of eight interceptions to five passing touchdowns.
McNamara’s touchdown pass-to-interception ratio this season is now 3-to-3. He was without a turnover against Illinois State, Troy and Minnesota, but coughing up the ball proved costly against Iowa State and Ohio State. An early second-half turnover against Iowa State this season gave the Cyclones life. Three against Ohio State on Saturday shut the door on a possible upset.
“We evaluate every position week to week,” Ferentz said about quarterback. “But we’re comfortable. I think Cade’s improving. I really do. It sounds funny with the turnovers today, I think he seems more comfortable. His timing seems better. And he was getting the ball out really well in the first half. We have to improve as a collective offense.”
It might go against popular opinion but to Ferentz’s point, McNamara started Saturday’s contest well, completing 10 of his first 12 passes. There is, however, a gaping hole in that argument.
Completion efficiency is not McNamara’s biggest issue. In fact, in the last two games — against Minnesota and Ohio State — he was a combined 25-of-39, marking major improvement from a putrid 13-of-29 outing against Iowa State.
But that extremely efficient stretch against Ohio State matters less if it amounts to zero points and also means turning the ball over three times later on.
In his Iowa career, McNamara has not yet thrown a touchdown against a power conference opponent (granted, a redzone package with backup Brendan Sullivan was implemented earlier this season, making it more difficult for McNamara to do so). But more troubling than the lack of touchdowns are the fact that all three of his interceptions this season have come against power conference opponents (one was a last ditch heave against Iowa State). You can also add the two fumbles against Ohio State to that turnover tally.
Iowa didn’t get McNamara just to beat up on lower level programs. When the competition level rises, he needs to do so with it.
“We just can’t turn the ball over,” McNamara said Saturday. “We had three drives in a row with turnovers. That just can’t happen. They just came out in the second half and they played well. They’re are a good defense and they’re a good team.”
You can argue ad nauseam against Ferentz’s assertion that McNamara is improving. But bottom line is, the fact that this is even a discussion is a problem. It was reasonable to think that McNamara would’ve been better than this through five games.
Iowa doesn’t need its quarterback to be prolific. Running back Kaleb Johnson solves a lot for the offense with the way he’s been playing. Iowa just needs McNamara to take care of the ball and make defenses pay on occasion when the chance presents itself.
In critical moments, that hasn’t been the case.
Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson reacts to 35-7 loss at Ohio State
The Hawkeyes junior wound up rushing 15 times for 86 yards, but most of those came after the game was decided.
Through the first 10 games of his Iowa career — split between 2023 and 2024 due to injury — McNamara hasn’t done much to validate the excitement that once surrounded him. Ferentz has preached patience for someone who has been out for an extended period — on multiple occasions. That faith in him could still bear results.
But time is becoming of the essence for McNamara to change the narrative.
Said Ferentz: “Cade will be fine.”
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com
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