One year away from a federal deadline to reduce nutrient runoff into the Gulf of Mexico by 20%, increases in tile drainage, livestock and fertilizer use have made success unlikely.
The Federal Trade Commission, a bipartisan federal agency, can investigate or file suit to block deals, such as the proposed one between Koch Industries and Iowa Fertilizer Co.
Inspired by a successful campaign in Minnesota, the groups are asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to step in and protect drinking water in northeast Iowa from agricultural runoff.
In a state where college sports arenas blaze with fertilizer logos, the phrase “corn grows Iowa” is common on TV and radio and nearly 15% of lawmakers are farmers, there’s reluctance to pinpoint agriculture as a possible reason for Iowa’s rising cancer rate without conclusive evidence.
The latest Ag Census data show alarming trends in the upper Mississippi River basin, one of the most intensive agricultural areas in the country: Less diverse farmers, more and more farms are going out of business, and farmland is being consolidated, making it even more difficult to get into the ind
The sense Iowa’s agricultural land is both scarce and gaining value has driven the average price to a record-setting $11,400 per acre last year. Now Iowa farmers are bidding not only against neighbors, but out-of-state investors including professional athletes, well-known billionaires and the Mormon
The April 28 ruling in the lawsuit by the Sierra Club of Iowa and Trout Unlimited against the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Supreme Beef says the state agency used “illogical interpretations and applications” to approve a nutrient management plan for an 11,600-head cattle feedlot near Mon
