Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today (Wednesday) the launch of the North Raccoon Edge-of-Field Project in Sac County, employing Iowa’s innovative “batch and build” model to enhance water quality. This partnership between the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), Sac County, and the Sac County Soil and Water Conservation District, aims to install over 30 bioreactors and saturated buffers in the North Raccoon River watershed. The “batch and build” approach modernizes project management by installing multiple conservation practices simultaneously, accelerating water quality progress. These edge-of-field practices, which are part of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, are designed to reduce nutrient loss into Iowa’s waterways. Sac County will manage project finances and oversee practice installation with technical and financial support from IDALS. The Sac County Soil and Water Conservation District will maintain agreements with landowners and certify completed installations. Agriculture’s Clean Water Alliance will lead landowner outreach. Interested farmers and landowners can learn more by contacting the Sac County Soil and Water Conservation District at 712-662-7773.
