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IOWA SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION MARKS 2005 LEGISLATIVE SUCCESSES Funding and high-level involvement mark program effectiveness |
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| URBANDALE, Iowa
- The Iowa Soybean Association’s agronomic and environmental programs
received a significant vote of confidence from the Iowa Legislature during
the 2005 session. For the second year in a row, a $400,000 appropriation
was approved in support of the Iowa Soybean Association’s Agronomic
and Environmental programs. Representative Dan Huseman from Aurelia, Iowa (District 53) says that learning more about the relationship between water quality and agriculture is an important issue for many Iowans, and that he was glad to have played a role in helping guide the appropriation through the House. “The Iowa Soybean Association’s agronomic and environmental programs were new to the legislature in 2004. We were thrilled to see that someone was showing farmers how to reduce fertilizer inputs yet maintain yield and profitability. These programs in particular are a model for finding solutions to water quality on the farm, which is a better answer than regulation. I think this is going to move us forward in our efforts to clean up impaired waterways. “One of the things I was most impressed with was that farmers are actually volunteering to do this research on their farms. That requires a lot of cooperation from all sides. And since this work relies on using the scientific approach to accumulate meaningful data, the on-farm testing ends up being as accurate as you can get. “So when we saw the program results and the bipartisan support that the work was generating, it was easy to recognize this as a ‘win-win.’ And those of us who are looking into the future are interested in making a continuing commitment to this work.” ISA also assigned to Watershed Improvement Review Board The legislature also included the Iowa Soybean Association in a newly established watershed improvement review board — a grant program for local watershed initiatives. Under a new watershed initiative, the State of Iowa is providing funds to help Iowans with watershed projects across the state. It will be administered jointly by IDALS and IDNR with a $5 million appropriation. The Iowa Soybean Association is one of 11 members of the steering committee. For more information, please contact the Iowa Soybean Association’s Director of Public Affairs Matt Caswell or Director of Environmental Programs Roger Wolf at 800-383-1423. You may also contact Representative Dan Huseman at 712-434-5880. For more information about the Iowa Soybean Association, please visit our Web site at www.iasoybeans.com. The Iowa Soybean Association develops policies and programs that help farmers expand profit opportunities while promoting environmentally sensitive production using the soybean checkoff and other resources. The Association is governed by an elected board of 21 volunteer farmers. |
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| ISA • 4554 N.W. 114th Street • Urbandale, IA 50322-5410 • Ph. 515-251-8640 • Fax 515-251-8657 | ||||||||||||
| ©2005 Iowa Soybean Association / Privacy Statement | ||||||||||||
