Cherokee, IA (KICD) — Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig says an experimental water quality program in Southwest Iowa is being expanded to five more Iowa counties including Cherokee County here in Northwest Iowa.

Naig made the announcement in Cherokee to kick off Soil and Water Conservation Week.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship says the project will help farmers identify marginal crop ground, that might be better used for forage and grazing.

The Water Quality Initiative begin in 2016 in Taylor and Page Counties. Naig says to date over 5 thousand acres have been converted; nearly 33 thousand acres of cover crops have been planted to prevent erosion and help keep nitrogen in the ground instead of Iowa’s water supply; and 32 stabilization structure have been constructed.

Two new project coordinators will be hired to offer technical support: One in Cherokee and one in Carroll.

We’ll get more details from the Secretary during his monthly interview later this month on the KICD Midday farm show.