Secretary Naig Announces Wright County ‘‘Batch and Build’’ Water Quality Project
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will utilize the successful “batch and build" model with partners in Wright County to install proven edge-of-field water quality practices
DES MOINES, Iowa (October 12, 2023) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has formed a partnership with Wright County and the Wright County Soil and Water Conservation District to launch the first phase of the Boone River Edge-of-Field Project.
The goal of the first phase of this water quality project is to install more than 25 edge-of-field conservation practices, including bioreactors and saturated buffers, in the Boone River watershed. These science-based practices, which are outlined in the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, are proven to improve water quality and reduce the loss of nutrients into Iowa’s waterways.
Iowa’s innovative “batch and build” model modernizes the project management process by installing batches of conservation practices on multiple farms at once, therefore allowing a faster acceleration of water quality progress. Because of this efficient and cost-effective model, Iowa is setting records for conservation implementation and we have established positive momentum behind our water quality efforts.
“Accelerating the adoption of conservation and water quality practices requires great partners across the state, and we are thrilled to work with Wright County and Wright County Soil and Water Conservation District to launch this project,” said Secretary Naig. “We invite farmers and landowners to get involved because these edge-of-field practices work and our innovative batch and build model gets them installed seamlessly.”
“The Wright County Supervisors are proud to be partnering with other agencies through the 28E agreement to get the Batch and Build Water Quality Projects up and built. As a farmer, landowner, County Supervisor, and Boone River Watershed Chairman, I fully recognize the need to implement these voluntary practices and continue to improve water quality in the State of Iowa,” said Dean Kluss, Chair of the Wright County Board of Supervisors. “The funding of these practices makes them attractive to landowners who are reluctant to make a capital outlay without a return on their investment. The batch and build approach is critical in finding contractors willing to undertake the projects. I look forward to having the water quality practices implemented on my ground.”
Wright County will act as the fiscal agent for the project and provide contracting oversight for practice installation. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will reimburse Wright County for eligible project construction costs and provide technical, design and engineering support. The Wright County Soil and Water Conservation District will enter into maintenance agreements with landowners, provide technical assistance and issue a certification upon completion.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is also providing additional support to the project. Farmers and landowners interested in getting involved should contact the Wright County Soil and Water Conservation District or stop in at their office within the USDA Service Center. The first phase of this project agreement is in place until June 30, 2028.