The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship advocates for Iowa's farmers and protects consumers, animals, our food supply and our shared soil and water resources. Our programs strengthen rural communities, support a thriving agriculture economy, and build a stronger future for all Iowans.
Land stewardship is central to the work of the Department. The Division of Soil Conservation & Water Quality provides farmers with expertise and funds to help them install practices that preserve our highly productive soil, prevent erosion and protect our critical waterways. The Department is focused on making sure future Iowans can experience the same high quality of life as past generations.
The Consumer Protection Division is responsible for a wide variety of food safety initiatives, including regulating meat processing, commercial feed and fertilizer, pesticide application, grain warehouses and dealers, egg handler licensing and dairy production and processing. The Weights and Measures Bureau makes sure both buyers and sellers are treated fairly at the gas pump, grocery store and/or grain elevator.
The State Climatologist, State Entomologist, and State Veterinarian are also all part of the Department. Other areas of responsibility for the Department include Agriculture Statistics, and the Iowa Horse Breeding Program.
The Department helps promote the more than 170 farmers markets located across the state and administers the Farmers Market Nutrition Program for seniors and residents participating in the WIC program. It also is very involved in agricultural diversification and organic production.
The Century and Heritage Farm program, which recognizes farms that have been in the same family for 100 or 150 years respectively, is also run in partnership with Iowa Farm Bureau.
