Since the Iowa Water Quality Initiative was first funded in 2013, the program landscape for conservation funding and options for producers has grown significantly. Farmers have been presented with a charge to voluntarily incorporate cover crops, nutrient management practices, and structural projects aimed at holding nutrients in place and reducing nitrogen and phosphorus losses. This call to action has been well-received- cover crop adoption in the past decade has grown to more than 4 million acres statewide, and landowners are installing nutrient reduction wetlands and edge of field practices at record levels year over year. All of this work is happening in addition to continued commitment to “traditional” soil conservation practice adoption at historic levels. more

Jan McClurg retires in March. more

IDALS cost share programs had another record year of conservation practice implementation in FY2023. Below are highlights of these accomplishments broken down by practice and by District. more

Your local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county offices have multiple programs competing for staff time and attention. Last November the 2018 Farm Bill was ex-tended through September 30, 2024. This extension allows authorized programs, including ARC and PLC, CRP and other programs, to continue operating. more

Commissioners, from left: Chad Dexter, Christine Bolte, Joshua Witt, Lora Schmidt, Richard Golinghorst. more

Cost share funds offer reimbursement up to 50% for conservation practices in-stalled on eligible agricultural land.  Qualifying practices include grassed waterways, terraces, water and sediment control basins, etc.  Technical assistance is available to help determine what practices may be needed and to assist with the design. There are also programs that can assist with Forest Stand Improvement, Tree Plantings, Windbreaks, and other forestry practices.  Now is the time to apply!  Applicants are funded on a first come, first served basis so don’t hesitate - Apply today! more

High School Seniors intending to further their education, while pursuing programs of study in any field of agriculture, environmental science, or natural resources, have until Friday, February 23, 2024 to apply.  more

With regret, Scott County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) will not be doing our tree or native plant sale this year.  We hope to return to doing our tree sale and native plant sale in 2025! more

Iowa averaged about 201 bushels of corn per acre last year, an estimate that eclipsed the previous year’s yields and ranks fourth-highest in the state’s history, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. more

Iowa Farm to School efforts received a significant boost in the 2022-23 school year with the launch of the Iowa Local Food for Schools program. more

Farm couples who are looking for a chance to review their goals while learning and relaxing in a scenic part of the state should consider attending the Farm Couple Getaway, Feb. 16-17 in northeast Iowa. more

Here are 2023 sales of Scott County land zoned for agriculture outside of Davenport and Bettendorf. more

Iowa farm land values reached $11,385, the highest ever, in Iowa State University’s annual land value survey of land owners. more

Renewable energy companies targeting sites in Muscatine, Cedar and Scott County for development are looking to lease local land for wind turbines. more

With little discussion, Scott County Supervisors on Dec. 19 renewed the county’s annual agreement to follow the Iowa Department of Natural Resources regulation for confined animal feeding operations, or CAFOS. more

River Valley Cooperative, headquartered in Davenport, will acquire the commercial grain assets of Rumbold and Kuhn, Inc., and the transportation assets of Ezra Rumbold & Sons, Inc. more

The North Scott FFA Officer Team presented the fall showcase Nov. 14 to honor outstanding members who have demonstrated excellence both inside and outside the classroom. Members from both the High School and Junior High chapters were acknowledged at this event. The chapter includes both a junior high FFA chapter and high school FFA chapter. Their work is a testament to the program’s commitment to cultivating leaders and fostering community development. The chapter comprises students from seventh through twelfth grades, drawing participants from diverse school districts, including North Scott, Davenport, Bettendorf, and Pleasant Valley. more

An eastern Iowa company that says it benefits the environment by turning agricultural byproducts into energy was recently fined for burying barrels of waste from the operation in a giant pit, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. more

A highly transmissible avian influenza that is often fatal to domestic birds recently infected a small backyard flock in Mills County, according to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. more

Another massive flock of egg-laying hens in Iowa was recently found to be infected by a very transmissible and deadly version of avian flu, which has pushed the total number of affected birds this fall beyond last year’s casualties for the same time period. more