Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District

07/15/2020

Looking for some strongly motivated natural resource conservation minded people to run for a Warren County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) Commissioner in the upcoming election. These are unpaid non-partisan positions with a 4 year term limit. Candidates can live anywhere within Warren County. Your primary work will involve participating in a monthly 3-4 hour long board meeting with occasional additional meetings every few months. Additional duties, responsibilities and time commitments will depend on your desire to serve. We have a total of 5 elected commissioners of which two positions will be on the ballot in November.

Please message us if you have any questions.

Your Affidavit of Candidacy (1 page) and your Nomination Petition for Non-Partisan Office with 25 signatures need to be turned into the County Auditor by 5pm on Wednesday, Aug. 26th. Kristine Labertew in our Warren County office can notarize your Affidavit of Candidacy. You can find these forms here: https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/electioninfo/general/index.html

The duties of a Iowa Soil & Water Conservation District Commissioner can be found here:http://cdiowa.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Infographic-CDI-Commissioners_2018.pdf

05/24/2020

Warren Soil & Water Conservation District
Job posting:

Fulltime/Temporary – Funding until October 2020, with the potential of an extension for another 12 months.
Salary: $15-20/hour depending on experience
Located at 909 E 2nd Ave, Indianola
Job Description:

The position will be assisting the staff with survey, design, implementation and checkout of existing program practices. The duties will also include assisting with contract workload, office and computer work.
Knowledge: of mathematics, common conservation practices, ability to learn conservation programs, ability to work outside, work well on your own and with others, valid driver license. Ability to communicate verbally and orally with others.

The successful candidate will also assist the staff with using Best Management Practices on conservation systems associated with improving Soil Health (Cover Crops/No-till/Planning field days), improving Wildlife Habitat for Pollinators, Prescribed Grazing and Restoring Woodland Health through Timber Stand Improvement. The candidate will also help build and maintain partnerships with groups like Warren County Pheasants Forever, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Warren County Izzak Walton League, Iowa DNR Wildlife Biologist/Forester, Warren County Conservation Board, Practical Farmers of Iowa, Iowa State Extension, Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, Farm Service Agency (FSA), and Xerces Society.

Job Posting Closes on May 31st, 2020

Send resume to NRCS/Warren SWCD, 909 E 2nd Ave-Ste B, Indianola, IA 50125 or
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (515)961-5264, ext 3

05/16/2020

Wetlands Webinar to Coincide with Wetlands Month

https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/wetlands-webinar-coincide-wetlands-month

May is American Wetlands Month and Iowa Learning Farms will host a webinar on Wednesday, May 20 at noon about the importance of wetlands in Iowa.

05/12/2020

Secretary Naig Encourages Farmers, Landowners to Apply Now for Cost Share Funding to Implement Water Quality Practices | Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

https://iowaagriculture.gov/news/apply-cost-share-funding-implement-water

Secretary Naig Encourages Farmers, Landowners to Apply Now for Cost Share Funding to Implement Water Quality Practices DES MOINES, Iowa (May 5, 2020) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced that farmers and landowners can now sign up for cost share funds through the Water Quality Initi...

04/28/2020

Soil Sessions | Soil Health Partnership

Soil Sessions | Soil Health Partnership

Soil Session webinar series | Providing updates on SHP's various programs and research findings

03/26/2020

Iowa Corn on Twitter

Iowa Corn on Twitter

“If you’re running out of reading material, be sure to check out this NEW publication from ISU Extension, “Whole Farm Conservation Best Practices Manual”. 👨‍🌾 https://t.co/MCuWFYRYLm”

03/25/2020

Conservation Discussions with Landlords | Iowa Corn

https://www.iowacorn.org/corn-production/environmental/conservation-discussions-with-landlords/

03/23/2020

Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

Iowans who were certified through Dec. 31, 2019, can retain their status and now have until Dec. 31, 2020, to submit the testing or training required to renew a pesticide applicator certification. The proclamation was signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds after the Department canceled its in-person testing sessions through March 31, based on social distancing recommendations from the CDC. Read the release here: https://bit.ly/2J8tBnR and visit https://iowaagriculture.gov/covid-19 for more information.

03/10/2020

Spring is here! There is still time to get a tree order into our office.

03/06/2020

Sam Nutting is an Earth Team volunteer who has been coming into our Warren Co. SWCD office on a regular basis since November of 2019 to help us out. We had him doing Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) status reviews on this day.

Sam is a Warren Co. Local & graduate of Simpson College. We appreciate Sam helping us during his free time off from his regular job.

Sam does VERY GOOD work!

02/28/2020

Kristine Labertew started 2-26-20 as our new Conservation Assistant (CA). She will be the smiling face you see when you first step into our office. Kristine is a local with a strong ag background. Karla & Darrell Labertew are her parents. Kristine has over 7 years of experience in several Iowa counties working with soil & water conservation in the field and at the desk.

WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE KRISTINE IN OUR OFFICE.

Stop by and say hello!

02/27/2020

FREE Cover Crop Conference, March 6th, Durant, IA

Cover Crop Conference

02/27/2020

Good showing at the 2020 Iowa Conservation Partnership day held at the Capitol rotunda today. Conservation Districts of Iowa, NRCS, IA DNR, ISU Learning Farms, Land Improvement Contractors of Iowa (LICA), IA Division of Soil & Water Conservation & other conservation groups present to inform & lobby our legislators to support soil & water conservation efforts.

02/22/2020

Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District

02/22/2020

Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District

02/13/2020

Spring is almost here! Bareroot and potted trees are available through your local Soil & Water Conservation District. Order ASAP. Proceeds from these sales support local soil conservation efforts. Stop by or contact: 515-961-5264, [email protected] for details.

02/05/2020

February Webinar: A Conservation Chat with Secretary Naig

Join today’s conversation https://www.iowalearningfarms.org/february-webinar-conservation-chat-secretary-naig

Iowa Learning Farms will host a webinar on Wednesday, February 5th at 12:00 p.m. with Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig.

02/01/2020

sos.iowa.gov

Are you Interested in becoming a Warren County Soil and Water District Commissioner?

Nomination papers (both forms are required)for this nonpartisan election can be found at

https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/candidates/affidavit.pdf

and

https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/candidates/nompetnonpartisan.pdf

Paperwork will be accepted at the auditors office March 2 - 20 during office hours

01/22/2020

soygrowers.com

Conservation and soil health from the ASA

https://soygrowers.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ASA-Conservation-Study-Infographic.pdf

01/21/2020

Yes, you can make soil!

Yes, you can make soil!

Organic matter builds as tillage declines, and cover crops and crop residue cover the soil.

01/17/2020

ISU researchers pave the way to make prairie strips eligible option for federal conservation program • News Service • Iowa State University

https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2020/01/09/stripscrp

Prairie strips planted at strategic locations within corn and soybean fields have a number of environmental benefits and are now an eligible conservation practice under the Conservation Reserve Program. Image courtesy of Omar de Kok-Mercado. Larger image.

01/08/2020

Enter now for the Warren County Soil & Water Conservation 2020 poster contest. Kindergarten through 12th grade. Deadline to be in the Warren County Soil & Water Conservation District office is Midnight Friday, 2-14-20. $1,500 in scholarship funds have been set aside for county winners. The top posters chosen at the county level are eligible for an additional $500 at the regional level and the top 3 posters will be eligible to share a state scholarship amount of $6,000. The State award winning posters will go on to the National level in September of 2020.

The Theme of the 2020 contests is " Where would we BEE without Pollinators?" Contest rules, forms, etc... can be found here:https://cdiowa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2020-Poster-Contest-Rules.pdf

Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company makes it possible for the Conservation Districts of Iowa (CDI) to partner with the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) to offer the 2020 Conservation Poster Contest.

County Contact: [email protected]

01/03/2020

01/03/2020

The Warren County Soil & Water Conservation District would like to thank Dick McPherson for allowing us to put up a "Warren County Soil & Water Conservation" sign on his farm property just south of Scotch Ridge Road on the west side of Hwy 65/69.

Something Worth Noting!. We called Iowa One Call (811) to inspect the site for underground utilities prior to pounding the two sign posts 20"+ deep. Thank Goodness we did. Century Link had a fiber optic cable 20" deep DIRECTLY under one of our original sign post locations. The posts now straddle the fiber optic line.

A LESSON WELL LEARNED? Call Iowa One Call if you are digging or driving 15" or deeper.

12/30/2019

Farmers Using Cover Crops Can Sign Up for Crop Insurance Discounts until Jan. 15, 2020 | Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

https://iowaagriculture.gov/news/sign-crop-insurance-discounts-2020

Farmers Using Cover Crops Can Sign Up for Crop Insurance Discounts until Jan. 15, 2020 DES MOINES, Iowa (Dec. 30, 2019) - Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig reminds farmers who planted fall cover crops that the deadline to sign up for a $5 per acre reduction on their 2020 crop insurance premium...

12/28/2019

12/28/2019

www.soils4teachers.org

Happy Birthday Iowa.

Do you know what is Iowa’s state soil?

https://www.soils4teachers.org/files/s4t/k12outreach/ia-state-soil-booklet.pdf

12/25/2019

Geomorphology Rules

Geomorphology Rules

Happy that some Maps are free!

https://petapixel.com/2016/08/06/nat-geo-launches-free-website-printing-detailed-topographical-maps/

12/20/2019

www.extension.iastate.edu

The Ag Decision Maker newsletter. Always interesting and a valuable resource.https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/newsletters/nl2019/dec19.pdf

12/13/2019

12/10/2019

The connection between a tile drainage system and healthy soil | AGDAILY

The connection between a tile drainage system and healthy soil | AGDAILY

While tile drainage doesn’t typically have a huge impact on soil health, soil health can have a major impact on how well a subsurface drainage system performs.

12/05/2019

12/05/2019

12/05/2019

USDA to open CRP general signup

USDA to open CRP general signup

Landowners can start applying Monday to enroll acreage in the Conservation Reserve Program under what will be the first general signup in four years.

12/05/2019