SOIL 2021 – Our Soils: Our Future
SOIL 2021 brings together farmers, landowners, conservationists, local officials and others interested in the future of Iowa’s land and water for a full day of presentations and conversations. The key theme of the day is Our Soils: Our Future and many speakers will focus on the unique role soil conservation, soil health, and water management play in creating productive farms. Iowa’s soil and water conservation districts have played a historic role and several speakers will discuss how the districts can be re-energized to address current challenges. There is growing recognition of the impact climate change has on agriculture and several speakers will discuss how farmers can help lead the efforts to address climate issues. Speakers will also discuss the potential role of legal tools such as conservation easements, to promote conservation on working lands. The final panel will examine new opportunities and challenges for farmers, landowners and conservationists. If you are interested in learning more about what is happening with Iowa’s land, water, and soils then attending SOIL 2021 should be in your plans.
November 17, 2021, Olmsted Center, Drake University [masks required per Drake COVID protocol]
Organized and Hosted by the Drake University Agricultural Law Center, with financial support from the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Cultivating Compassion: the Dr. Richard Deming Foundation, the Conservation Districts of Iowa, Iowa Interfaith Power & Light and Peoples Company; with support from the Dallas County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Raccoon Watershed Association, and the Panora Conservation Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America
Registration is $75 or $100 for couples, $50 for soil and water conservation district commissioners and staff – Registration is available on Eventbrite
Drake requires that masks be worn by all people whenever indoors, so all attendees will be required to wear masks when not eating or drinking. We will attempt to social distance to the extent possible and we ask for your cooperation in those efforts. Our preference is that attendees are vaccinated to help reduce risk. You can read more about Drake’s COVID protocol on its COVID response page.
SOIL 2021: Our Soils Our Future
8:00 – 8:30 – Registration and Breakfast, sponsored by Cultivating Compassion: the Dr. Richard Deming Foundation
8:30 – 8:35 – Welcome – Prof. Jennifer Zwagerman, director, Agricultural Law Center
8:35 – 8:50 – Conference Overview – Prof. Neil Hamilton, emeritus director, conference organizer, and Dallas County Soil and Water Conservation District commissioner
8:50 – 9:25 – Energizing Iowa’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts
Neil Shaffer, Howard County SWCD Watershed Project Coordinator – Expanding Soil and Water Conservation at the County Level
John Norwood, Polk County SWCD Commissioner – Systems Thinking and the Power of One: Saturated Buffers in Polk County
9:25 – 10:10 – Farmers Leading on Climate Change Solutions
Matt Russell, executive director, Iowa Interfaith Power & Light [Marion County] – The Role of Iowa Farmers in the National Climate Action Scene
Ray Gaesser, farmer and co-chair Iowa Smart Agriculture [Adams County] – Innovative On-farm Research to Promote Soil Health and Address Climate
Irene DeMaris, associate director, Iowa Interfaith Power & Light – Expanding the Reach of Farmer Led Climate Efforts
10:10 – 10:25 – networking break – sponsored by Iowa Interfaith Power & Light
10:25 – 11:15 Using Corporate Sustainability Funds to Support Better Farming
Adam Kiel, executive vice president, AgOutcomes, a subsidiary of the Iowa Soybean Association – Farmer Driven Eco-system Service Payments
Lydia English – Strategic Initiatives Coordinator, Practical Farmers of Iowa [Story County] – Partnering with Industry to Expand Cover Crops in Iowa
Prof. Jennifer Zwagerman, director, Agricultural Law Center – National Status of Corporate Support for Agricultural Climate Solutions
11:15 – 12:00 – Candid Perspectives on Iowa’s Water Quality: Where are We Today and Where are We Headed
Chris Jones, Research Engineer, IIHR, University of Iowa [Johnson County]- Understanding the Science and Data to Know the Truth About Iowa’s Water
Mary Skopec, Executive Director, Iowa Lakeside Laboratory [Dickinson County] – Citizen Science and Iowa’s Future – Developing a Holistic Vision
12:00 – 1:10 Lunch, sponsored by Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, welcome by Dr. Richard Deming – Speakers: Pat Boddy, Update on Central Iowa Water Trails [ICON] and Christine Curry, Visualizing Iowa’s Future: Soul, Soil, and Spark
1:10 – 1:50 Manage Water on the Land and Soil Health (and Carbon) Will Follow –
Jerry Hatfield, retired director, USD ARS– National Laboratory for Agriculture and Environment, Ames – How Better Water Management Promotes Soil Health
Liz Garst, Garst Farms and Whiterock Conservancy [Guthrie County] – True Life Experiences Selling Land Subject to a Soil Health Easement
1:50 – 2:45 Iowa Land: New Opportunities for Conserving Private Land
Erin Van Waus, conservation easement director [Warren County], and
Emily Martin, conservation programs coordinator [Marion County], Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation –Private Land Protection in a Changing Climate
Seth Watkins, Pinhook Farm [Page County] – How Conservation Easements Protect Land and Increase Profitability and Sustainability
Mark Rasmussen, former director ISU Leopold Center – Where Did Iowa’s Cattle Go and How Do We Keep Our Grasslands?
2:45 – 3:30 Pulling Opportunities Together: Ideas Iowans Need to Consider
Aaron Heley Lehman, president, Iowa Farmers Union [Polk County] – How Iowa Farmers Can Revitalize the Rural Economy and Restore Iowa’s Land
Mary Beth Stevenson, Watersheds & Source Water Coordinator, Cedar Rapids [Linn County] – How Supporting Conservation on Upstream Farms Can Protect Water Quality and Reduce Flooding
Robert Hartwig, Legal Counsel, Iowa Bankers Association – How Do Bankers See the Future of Iowa’s Land and Water?
3:30 – 3:45 Afternoon Break, sponsored by the Conservation Districts of Iowa
3:45 – 4:15 Questions and Discussion with Speakers
4:15 – 4:30 Wrap-Up and Concluding Thoughts – Prof. Neil Hamilton – How To Secure Iowa’s Soil and Water Future: Regulations are Inevitable
Conference will be followed by an Evening “Spark” Banquet at the Izaak Walton League of Des Moines, starting at 5:00 – Cocktail Reception, Dinner, and Program, featuring Art Cullen, Storm Lake newsman and reports on the health of the Raccoon River. Tickets $50 per person– proceeds benefit river protection in Iowa. See the full banquet invitation here. For tickets and information contact: mike.delaney1@me.com or christineanncurry@gmail.com
