DES MOINES — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey highlighted Friday the Iowa Water Quality Initiative 2016 Legislative Report during his presentation to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee.
“We continue to see engagement and investment in water quality efforts and it is exciting to see the progress that is being made. Thanks to the support we have received from the Governor and Legislature the Iowa Water Quality Initiative continues to expand and work with additional farmers. This report provides an update on the initiative to legislators and outlines our request for the next fiscal year,” Northey said.
The eight-page report provides an update on the $3.5 million made available for statewide cost share for water quality practices and on the 29 demonstration projects that were operating across the state last year to help implement and demonstrate water quality practices. The report also gives and update on Tracking/Accountability and efforts by the Iowa Nutrient Research Center at Iowa State University. The Iowa DNR also provided an update on the efforts of point sources that is included in the report.
During the hearing Northey also highlighted the $10 million request for the Water Quality Initiative would allow the Department to continue offering cost share statewide to farmers trying new water quality practices, expand work in targeted watersheds to achieve measurable water quality improvements and continue to develop new programs to help engage all Iowans in water quality efforts. The Department received $9.6 million for the current fiscal year for the Water Quality Initiative.
A copy of the report can be found at www.IowaAgriculture.gov under "Hot Topics" or at http://www.cleanwateriowa.org/news-and-blog.aspx.