Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey presented an Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Leader Award--the Leadership in Conservation--to the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy Science Team. It was one of four awards presented at the Iowa Agricultural Leaders Dinner held on March 7. The winners were recognized for their progress, their innovative solutions and their commitment to serving our communities through collaboration and hard work.
In 2010, a partnership was launched between Iowa State University, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to develop the science assessment as part of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, a statewide strategy to reduce nutrients in Iowa waters and the Gulf of Mexico in a scientific, reasonable, and cost-effective manner.
The team working on this effort consisted of 23 individuals representing five agencies or organizations under the leadership of Dr. John Lawrence at Iowa State University. The goals of the science team were to assess nutrient loading from Iowa to the Mississippi River and conduct an extensive review of practices and their ability to ultimately reduce nutrients in surface water.
This assessment is believed to be the first of its kind and has since been replicated by several other states since the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy’s initial release. This strategy will continue to improve Iowa water quality and could not have been done without the dedication and expertise of these talented individuals.