Business : Local ag producers encouraged to sign up for free S.T.A.R. program

Two critical conservation practices - managing nutrient loss and protecting soil fr om water run-off - can greatly enhance the future of Benton County ag production and help better position farmers in the expanding sustainability marketplace. Today, the Benton Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) introduces a new program that assists local ag producers who want to target best conservation practices for their operation.

The new program - S.T.A.R. ("Saving Tomorrow's Agriculture Resources") - gives ag producers a free tool that assigns points for each cropping, tillage, nutrient application, and soil conservation activity used on individual fields. The total points convert to a rating of 1-to-5 "Stars" for each individual field - points earned through conservation management practices.

S.T.A.R. makes its debut in Iowa this fall, sponsored by the Conservation Districts of Iowa (CDI) which selected the Benton SWCD to help inaugurate this significant push to promote soil health and water quality in Iowa.

Benton SWCD Board Chairman Henry Wehrman encourages local ag producers to sign up now for the free tool and take advantage of the short- and long-term benefits participation reaps. "We're happy CDI selected our county to be part of this pilot program, and I believe local farmers will respond," Wehrman says. Benton County is one of 25 southeast Iowa counties joining the pilot program for 2020-2021.

"We have a culture of respect for the land here, with an understanding that farming is a business," says Wehrman. "The S.T.A.R program works to sustain the land through workable conservation practices, while potentially increasing productivity and net profitability. It takes a commitment to accomplish those goals. S.T.A.R. is a path forward."

According to CDI President Dennis Carney, landowners and ag producers who sign up for the free S.T.A.R. program can expect "unexpected" benefits. "When a landowner commits to applying sound soil health and water quality practices to their fields in a program that evaluates and documents their success - which S.T.A.R. does - they may see both conservation and economic benefits," says Carney. "Certainly, we can establish decreased nutrient loss, keep more phosphorus in the field, and prevent water runoff. But also consider the potential for increased net farm income, and a chance to leverage market premiums fr om buyers who more and more demand proof that farm products be grown in sustainable environments."

S.T.A.R Program Director Carlee Sabus adds that participation in S.T.A.R. might assist operators in securing local conservation cost share (when available), assist in obtaining documentation to support potential water quality issues, and help landowners evaluate tenants' contributions to conservation.

To sign up, farm operators fill out the free S.T.A.R. tool - a simple field form that Sabus says takes about three minutes to answer questions for one field. Participants earn recognition fr om community members for their progress in showing that agriculture production can be sustainable, and given certificates to recognize their cooperation. Each field is assigned a "S.T.A.R." rating fr om one-to-five stars.

"We believe operators who sign up for S.T.A.R. will discover how easy it can be to prevent runoff and protect our water supplies," says Sabus. "They'll see the importance of taking the time to plan and execute a sustainable farming strategy that gives back tremendous rewards."

For learn more or sign up, please contact S.T.A.R. Program Manager Carlee Sabus at carlee@cdiowa.org.