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2026 RESOLUTIONS SUBMITTED FOR CONSIDERATION WITH PARTNER NOTES

1. TITLE: Change NRCS Wetland Design Standards to Allow Deeper Water for Fish

STATEMENT: Current NRCS wetland design standards do not allow for, or discourage, water depths greater than six feet in most cases.Allowing water depths of eight feet or greater that can support fish in parts of wetlands will increase landowner buy in and increase practice adoption rates.Local water monitoring results document that wetlands with up to 50% deep water are still effective at reducing nitrate.A wetland that supports fish adds value and changes the perception of the practice from unusable acres to a cherished part of the property. We believe that the wetlands on our landscape should clean water, provide wildlife habitat, and support recreation.

ACTION: NRCS shall change its policy and practice standards to allow for up to 50% of a wetlands surface water to be greater than eight feet deep.

SUBMITTED BY: Delaware SWCD, CDI Region 4, 2026

IDALS Comments:

NRCS Comments:

2. TITLE: Change CRP Cost Share to Assist with Filter Strip Earthmoving Costs

STATEMENT: FSA CRP policy currently does not provide cost share to regrade and/or clean out accumulated sediment in CRP filter strips.Filter strips that serve their purpose need to be regraded and sediment removed periodically to maintain their effectiveness.This can be an expensive job and often the landowner chooses to remove the filter strip and crop near the stream after the contract period because the cost of maintenance is unbearable.

ACTION: FSA shall update cost share policy to provide dollars for earthmoving costs on new or re-enrolled CRP filter strips.

SUBMITTED BY: Delaware SWCD, CDI Region 4, 2026

IDALS Comments:

NRCS Comments:

3. TITLE: Change CRP, EQIP, REAP, and IFIP Cost Share Policy to Work in Synchronization

STATEMENT: Acres enrolled in CRP are not eligible for most EQIP, REAP, and IFIP funding.At times, acres in CRP need additional conservation practices installed to treat natural resource concerns that are beyond the scope of the enrolled CRP practice.A few examples include streambank erosion adjacent to a CRP filter strip and can be addressed with a streambank stabilization practice; or an active classic gully that is advancing into a CRP field that can be addressed with a grade stabilization structure or water and sediment control structure.In the previous examples, a CRP contract holder must request to terminate CRP acres if they wish to secure EQIP, REAP, or IFIP funding to address the additional resource concerns, resulting in significant costs to the contract holder and staff time commitment to revise CRP contracts.Changing policy to allow EQIP, REAP, and IFIP dollars to be used on CRP acres will improve water quality and reduce soil erosion.

ACTION: FSA, NRCS, and IDALS shall change policy to enable their respective programs to be synchronized to work seamlessly with each other’s programs.

SUBMITTED BY: Delaware SWCD, CDI Region 4, 2026

IDALS Comments:

NRCS Comments:

FSA Comments:

4. TITLE: Change CRP Policy to Allow Contract Terms to Be Less Than 10 Years

STATEMENT:Currently the minimum enrollment period for CRP is 10 years.When a producer has an existing CRP contract and adds an additional contract on the same tract, FSA should allow a contract length that matches the existing contract.This change will allow both contracts to be re-enrolled as a single contract in the future resulting in reduced administrative burden for USDA and the producer.

ACTION: FSA shall change CRP policy so CRP contracts may be less than 10 years when other CRP contracts are active on the tract so that contract expiration dates match.

SUBMITTED BY: Delaware SWCD, CDI Region 4, 2026

JOINTLY SPONSORED BY: Tama SWCD, CDI Region 4, 2026

IDALS Comments:

NRCS Comments:

FSA Comments:

5. TITLE: Ensure NRCS Employees Continue Working During Government Shutdowns and Are Deemed “Essential Workers”

STATEMENT: The government shutdown impacted every conservation district in Iowa, significantly slowing terrace construction during the fall of 2025. When shutdowns occur, agriculture feels the effects in several ways, including delays in building terraces. These structures are typically constructed in the fall—immediately after harvest and before the ground freezes—leaving contractors with a very limited window to complete their work and earn income. Because of this tight timeline, it is essential for the USDA, NRCS, and county offices to remain open and operational to support terrace construction. In addition, cost-share agreements for terraces are arranged months in advance to prepare for fall construction.

ACTION: NRCS shall deem employees as “essential workers” so that they continue to work during government shutdowns.

SUBMITTED BY: East Pottawattamie SWCD, CDI Region 5, 2026

IDALS Comments:

NRCS Comments:

6. TITLE: Enact Legislation to Eliminate All Property Taxes on Land with Permanent Easements Funded Through the Water Quality Initiative or Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program

STATEMENT: To encourage landowners to enroll in permanent easement programs and provide for uniform property tax assessments across the state, we are recommending no property tax be assessed on land once it enters permanent easement for a constructed wetland project.

ACTION: CDI shall work with state legislators to draft a bill to enact this legislation.

SUBMITTED BY: Grundy County SWCD, CDI Region 3, 2026

IDALS Comments:

NRCS Comments:

7. TITLE: Establish Incentives for No-Till Adoption Utilizing Corn Stubble for Snow Retention

STATEMENT: Corn growers have long recognized the agronomic and environmental benefits of no-till practices, including improved soil health, reduced erosion, and enhanced moisture retention. Additionally, emerging observations suggest that corn stubble in no-till systems may provide measurable public safety benefits by capturing and retaining snow, thereby reducing snow drift onto roadways. This potential dual benefit—to both agricultural sustainability and roadway safety—warrants further evaluation.

ACTION: CDI supports expanding adoption of these practices through targeted incentives. CDI requests that the Department of Transportation (DOT) initiate and fund a comprehensive research program to assess the effectiveness of corn stubble in no-till systems as a snow retention strategy compared to traditional standing corn snow fences. This research should evaluate impacts on snow drift reduction, roadway safety, cost-effectiveness, and scalability. Pending the results of this research, CDI further requests that the DOT develop and implement a voluntary incentive program to compensate farmers who maintain corn stubble for snow retention purposes. Compensation should be equitable and comparable to existing payments for similar roadside safety and snow management programs.

JOINTLY SUBMITTED BY: Clay SWCD, Humboldt SWCD & Webster SWCD, Region 2, 2026

IDALS Comments:

NRCS Comments:

8. TITLE: Simplify and Expedite the Cultural Resources Determination Process

STATEMENT: Cultural resources determinations are required as part of the conservation planning process for practices receiving financial and/or technical assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), per Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The current process is governed by a programmatic agreement (NRCS Agreement A-6114-17-001) executed in 2017 between the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) NRCS and the Iowa State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). At present, field office staff are required to hand dig holes to the depth of practice every 50 feet, sift the soils, and tediously document every geologic and artifactual finding or change in soil type, and then photograph every step of change in every hole.Following the field investigation, there is a lengthy waiting period for approval to clear an Area of Potential Affect (APE). This has created a significant bottleneck for moving forward with approving and implementing conservation practices.

We believe there should be a less labor-intensive and time-prohibitive process to keep conservation work moving if there is little or no potential to affect historic properties. A system should be established that does not depend entirely upon a single NRCS employee to start the cultural resources determination process for the APE, but instead either establish a team of qualified personnel or find additional options to clear an APE. We propose that NRCS modify and improve the programmatic agreement with SHPO and the 2024 Appendix A by modeling guidelines currently established in surrounding states to meet Section 106 compliance, seeking input from employees in the field, and evaluating ways that procedures can be simplified to allow for cultural resources determinations to be made less labor-intensive and be completed in timelier fashion.

ACTION:

CDI shall work with NRCS to establish a more efficient way to administer the cultural resources determination process while still complying with Section 106.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

• NRCS Fact Sheet: Cultural Resources And Your Conservation Plan:
  • https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/Cultural_Resources_and_Your_Conservation_Plan.pdf
• NRCS Agreement A-6114-17-001: Prototype Programmatic Agreement between USDA-NRCS and Iowa SHPO Regarding Conservation Assistance:
  • https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/NRCS_2017_PPA_Agreement.pdf
• Iowa NRCS, August 2024 APPENDIX A, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Iowa Activities, Enhancements, and Practices With Little or No Potential to Affect Historic Properties
  • https://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/references/public/IA/Appendix_A_2024.pdf
• Advisory Council on Historic Preservation webpage: An Introduction to Section 106
  • https://www.achp.gov/protecting-historic-properties/section-106-process/introduction-section-106

SUBMITTED BY: Madison SWCD, CDI Region 6, 2026

IDALS Comments:

NRCS Comments:

9. TITLE: Relax Standards for Cost Share Basin Construction

STATEMENT: Current cost share basin design standards often require excessively large and costly structures. These overbuilt basins significantly increase expenses for both landowners and taxpayers. Experienced local contractors report that, with more reasonable specifications, twice as many basins could be built for the same total investment.

Additionally, current height specifications necessitate borrowing extra soil to create a farmable slope for grass back, reverse grass back, and broad base basins. These features increase the risk of equipment tipping or spilling grain and place avoidable strain on sprayers, grain carts, tractors, planters, and tillage equipment. As a result, many farmers—especially young and beginning farmers facing difficult economic conditions—choose to forego construction entirely. Some opt for miniature temporary basins, but these only manage small runoff events and are not a suitable longterm solution.

ACTION: CDI requests NRCS to reevaluate and relax the standards for cost share basin construction to allow more practical, cost effective, and locally adaptable designs. We further recommend that decision makers responsible for imposing current one-size fits all regulations review and adjust these requirements. We also request consideration of alternative options, including allowing larger tile installations or the use of a producer-signed liability acceptance agreement in cases where adjusted basin specifications could be safely implemented.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

Rigid basin construction standards create two extreme choices: building an oversized structure or taking no action at all. More flexible specifications would encourage adoption, reduce risk, and increase the number of functional basins installed across the county. Practical, rightsized designs would enhance water management outcomes without placing undue burdens on producers or public funding.

SUBMITTED BY: Mahaska County SWCD, CDI Region 9, 2026

IDALS Comments:

NRCS Comments:

10. TITLE: Consider Reimbursement Opportunities for Properties Damaged by Sediment Resulting from a Soil Loss Complaint

STATEMENT: It has come to our attention through our most recent soil loss complaint process that there is no assistance involved for the landowners whose properties are damaged from soil, sediment, and water runoff that results in a Soil Loss Complaint.

ACTION: CDI shall recommend IDALS-Division of Soil Conservation and Water Quality to establish cost share policies to obligate funds to landowners whose properties are damaged due to activities that triggered an active soil loss complaint.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: We find it strange that only the parties who are in violation of the soil loss regulations are compensated.

SUBMITTED BY: Polk SWCD, CDI Region 6, 2026

IDALS Comments:

NRCS Comments:

11. TITLE: Reduce Nitrogen (N) Water Pollution

STATEMENT: The past 50 years have seen a progressive increase in N pollution in Iowa waterways. In the past two decades, several institutions and ag organizations in Iowa have addressed this problem with the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, with limited success. Many factors have contributed to this lack of progress and the chief factor among them is the excessive use of N to grow crops, in spite of science-based research offered by ISU and several ag organizations. There is no regulation to address this problem.

ACTION: CDI will work with the Iowa Legislature to create a statute that enforces the management practices for reducing excess N application through the following:

1. Require annual mandatory training and certification program for farmers applying N in the field as practiced in some neighboring states.
2. Require accurate record keeping for N used.
3. Institute a small state tax on fall applied nitrogen fertilizer sales and a small state tax credit on spring applied nitrogen fertilizer. Any excess state tax credit will be used for training, education, certification and research programs addressing this problem.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: The nitrogen problem and the idea for this proposal come from the Harkin Institute, “The Swine Republic” by Chris Jones, DSM Register (3/1/2026), Tri County Times (3/6/2026).

JOINTLY SUBMITTED BY: Story SWCD CDI Region 6 & Hamilton SWCD, CDI Region 2, 2026

IDALS Comments:

NRCS Comments:

12.TITLE: Update the Current Drainage Ditch Maintenance Laws to Avoid Damage to Installed Conservation Practices

STATEMENT: In 1908, the Iowa Legislature formalized rules to guide the construction and maintenance of drainage ditches (Iowa Code Chapter 468.621). Maintenance of these ditches currently is inefficient and done without regard to soil loss due to erosion and water quality deterioration due to nitrogen. Maintenance work by the drainage water districts can negatively impact conservation practices installed in and around the drainage ditches.

ACTION: CDI will work with legislators to revise the current drainage ditch law (Iowa Code Chapter 468.621) to include conservation measures to reduce ongoing soil loss and nitrogen pollution.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: ISU, USDA and other organizations have documented the problem with soil loss in Iowa. The Iowa Geological Survey has documented the excessive nitrogen in our waters.

A landowner in Story County had installed a conservation practice in his ditch aimed at reducing soil loss and nitrogen in our waters. Maintenance of a drainage ditch through a landowner’s property was requested. Given the limited drainage ditch guidance, the county supervisors followed the least costly method per our current Iowa Code resulting in damage to the conservation practice.

JOINTLY SUBMITTED BY: Story SWCD CDI Region 6 & Hamilton SWCD, CDI Region 2, 2026

IDALS Comments:

NRCS Comments:

13. TITLE: Revise State Cover Crop Cost Share Policy to Allow Harvesting of Cover Crop for Seed or Grain

STATEMENT: Cover crops are proven to provide a multitude of benefits for soil health and water quality. Extended crop rotations utilizing small grains, grasses or legumes, provide many of these same benefits as well as decreased insect and disease pressure. Utilizing small grains as a cover crop can enhance the adoption of this practice and jump start the establishment of the third crop in an extended crop rotation. Current state cover crop policy prohibits the harvesting of cover crop acres for seed or grain. This policy discourages a better management practice when we should be encouraging producers to do it. By removing this prohibition and allowing use of cost share funds to offset the risks of trying new crops, more producers would be willing to make the transition to an extended crop rotation. This change also supports the 2025 Nutrient Reduction Strategy update, stating land use change through conversion of corn‐soybean systems to perennial vegetation or extended rotations show potential to dramatically reduce nitrate‐N and phosphorus. https://www.nutrientstrategy.iastate.edu

ACTION: Request IDALS to remove the prohibition in state cover crop policy for harvesting cover crop acres for seed or grain. The new policy would read as follows: “Field office staff is to remind applicants that receive funding for cover crops (as noted in the “Practice Maintenance Agreement and Eligibility Certification Form”) that they are not to fall till these acres after seeding or they will be required to return their cost share funds. In addition, applicants should be informed that if they decide to harvest these cover crop acres for seed or grain, they will also be required to return their cost share funds.”

SUBMITTED BY: Winneshiek SWCD, CDI Region 4, 2026

IDALS Comments:

NRCS Comments: