March 28, 2024

New wetland mitigation available to Iowa Farmers

DES MOINES — USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Iowa Agricultural Mitigation, Inc. (IAM) announced today that the first round of wetland mitigation credits are now available to farmers seeking alternatives for their farmed wetlands.

“We have 38 credits available through our first bank site in Hancock County,” said Kim Perlstein, IAM executive director. “IAM is working with other landowners with the goal of offering three additional wetland banks by the end of the year.”

Wetland mitigation banking uses a market-based approach to compensate for unavoidable impacts to wetlands in another location. Banked wetland mitigation credits are made available after the restoration, creation or enhancement of previously converted wetlands protected by a conservation easement.

USDA conservation compliance requires any farmer who wishes to convert a wetland for commodity production to offset that loss through mitigation. This is required to maintain eligibility for USDA benefits. IAM is one of 10 wetland mitigation banks which received $7 million in 2016 from NRCS to restore, create or enhance wetland ecosystems and provides conservation options to farmers. The Iowa bank received $700,000 in NRCS funding to help cover administrative costs, pay for engineering and marketing. No NRCS funds are used to purchase wetlands.

“Wetlands are vital to the health of Iowa’s ecosystems. When functioning properly, wetlands provide many environmental benefits including improving water quality, recharging groundwater, providing flood control, cycling nutrients and maintaining critical wildlife habitat,” said Kurt Simon, Iowa NRCS state conservationist.

For more information about purchasing wetland credits, please go to www.iowamitgation.com. For more information about wetland compliance requirements, please go to www.ia.nrcs.usda.gov or visit your local NRCS field office.