DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey will be participating in a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) in Iowa this Friday, September 23 at 9:30 a.m. at Reiman Gardens in Ames. The Iowa CREP is a nationally recognized leader in addressing water quality concerns locally and in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Iowa CREP is a partnership between the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the USDA Farm Service Agency and local soil and water conservation districts. Through the program landowners voluntarily establish wetlands in the heavily tile-drained regions of Iowa. These highly targeted, strategically placed wetlands reduce nitrate loading by more than 40-70%.
What: CREP Wetland 10th Anniversary
Who: Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture
When: Friday, Sept 23, 9:30 to 11:00 a.m.
An optional tour of a nearby CREP wetland will take place at 11:00 a.m.
Where: Hunziker House, Reiman Gardens, 1407 University Blvd, Ames
Over the past 10 years, 72 CREP wetlands have been restored or are currently under development, providing water quality benefits to 86,000 acres of land by removing over 54,000 tons of nitrates over their lifetime.
These 72 targeted restorations total over 700 acres of wetlands plus over 2,500 acres of surrounding native prairie buffers. In addition to improving water quality, these wetlands provide high quality wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities.
For more information on the program, farmers can visit www.iowaagriculture.gov or talk to their local Soil and Water Conservation District or Farm Service Agency offices.
