(Photo: Iowa Soybean Association / Joclyn Kuboushek)
Seeing conservation in action
April 9, 2026 | Kriss Nelson
Talking about conservation is one thing. Seeing it in the field is another.
Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) conservation agronomists are hosting self-guided tours running now through June 1 across eastern and western Iowa.
Tour now
Farmers can visit on their own schedule, return to sites and track changes throughout the season.
“Talking about cover crops is one thing, but being able to see the actual implementation is another,” says Evan Brehm, ISA conservation agronomist.
Why it matters
Adoption often comes down to confidence.
- What does it look like?
- Where does it fit?
- Does it actually work?
The tour answers those questions by putting practices on display.
What you’ll see
Each stop highlights different approaches:
- Cover crops with varying species and planting dates
- Drill vs. broadcast applications
- Edge-of-field practices like bioreactors and wetlands
What they’re saying
“Terms like denitrifying bioreactor and wetland get thrown around, but there’s not always something physical to look at,” says Evan Brehm, ISA conservation agronomist. “This tour shows where and how they fit in the landscape.”
Alex Logan, ISA research agronomist, adds that the visual impact is key to understanding the science. “When you can see how roots break up compaction and improve infiltration, it has a bigger impact.”
Take it home
The goal is to help you make practical decisions on your farm.
- Compare practices side by side
- Learn what works and what doesn’t
- Build confidence before trying it on your farm
The bottom line
Confidence drives adoption.
And confidence starts with seeing it for yourself.
“Conservation in Action does exactly that,” Brehm says. “It puts conservation into action by showing real farms where these practices are working.”
Go deeper
For the Conservation in Action: Western Iowa Self-Guided Tour, contact Alex Logan at alogan@iasoybeans.com or 515-729-9831.
For the Conservation in Action: Eastern Iowa Self-Guided Tour, contact Evan Brehm at ebrehm@iasoybeans.com or 319-310-5468.
Written by Kriss Nelson.
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