In this weeks “Map of the Week” by the state Legislative Service Agency, Certified Organic Operations were geo-mapped by County (by Crop, Livestock, and Handling/Processing).  Iowa is a real hotbed of organic crops, processing, and livestock. Check it out here: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/MOW/794228.pdf The number of organic operations has increased by 47% from 2011 to 2016 (71% increase nation-wide). This trend towards sustainable practices needs to keep growing! Iowa suffers some of the worst water quality in the country. We are among the top contributing states to the algae bloom in the Gulf of Mexico. Join SILT in building more resilient Iowa communities through diversity in [...]

According to a U.S. Geological Survey report published today in the Journal of Environmental Quality, drought periods followed by rainfall caused nitrate levels to increase to the highest ever measured in some Midwest streams during a 2013. “The highest nitrate concentrations in 2013 were in streams in Iowa, closely followed by southern Minnesota and central Illinois,” said Peter Van Metre, a USGS hydrologist and the lead author of the study. “Drought conditions in 2012 allowed excess nitrogen to build up in the soils until spring rains in 2013 flushed the nitrate into streams, leading to unusually high levels.” SILT is [...]