Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District

01/13/2026

Did you plant cover crops this fall?

Did you plant cover crops this fall? Then you could save $5 per acre on your crop insurance premiums next spring.

Sign up now for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship's Crop Insurance Discount Program.

Discount applies to insurance premiums on verified cover crop acres.

To qualify, acres can’t be enrolled in other state or federal cost share programs.

Talk to your crop insurance agent and sign up today at apply.cleanwateriowa.org.

01/13/2026

Learn all about kernza grain in the article!

Our commissioner, Lee Tesdell, was featured in the Des Moines Register this morning: From water quality to beer, how a new grain could impact Iowa.

Read the story at:
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/money/agriculture/2026/01/06/kernza-experimental-grain-iowa-water-quality-beer/87994156007/

Kernza is a perennial grain with deep roots. It is low maintenance and brings year round benefits to the soil. Lee gets three main products out of the kernza: "The grain, which he takes to Nebraska for processing with the Sustain-a-Grain group where it is turned into the “flakes” he can sell to a breakfast cereal or to breweries in the area. He also bales the plant and is able to sell it and use it like hay and finally, Tesdell grazes his sheep on the harvested Kernza fields."

What's the catch? Not enough people know about it! You can give Lee's locally grown kernza a try at on tap the Brightside Aleworks in Altoona. Brightside Aleworks is also part of the Choose Iowa Program and collaborates with Iowa Food Cooperative.

Learn all about kernza grain in the article! You can see more pictures of Lee and his woolies in the article. Pictured here is Lee with his guard llama, Lennie, photo taken by Cami C***s with Iowa Capital Dispatch.

12/23/2025

In celebration of the holiday season, the Marshall County NRCS/FSA office will be closed December 23-December 26. Safe and Happy Holidays to you and yours from Marshall County NRCS/FSA/SWCD!

12/23/2025

Some interesting information!

Learn more about the agronomic and economic benefits of cover cropping in reduced-tillage corn based cropping systems >>>

Check out this Research Article: "Cover Crops in Sustainable Food Production," published in volume 16, issue 2 of Food Reviews International on February 6, 2007. Authors include: Yao-Chi Lu, K. Bradley Watkins, John R. Teasdale, & Aref A. Abdul-Baki.

doi.org/10.1081/FRI-100100285

12/18/2025

12/05/2025

12/04/2025

Attention: IDALS has extended final seeding dates for cereal rye, winter triticale and camelina cover crops until December 21, 2025. This is only for IDALS funded programs, not federally funded programs like EQIP or CSP. If you have any questions feel free to call the office at 641-752-4521.

12/04/2025

01/07/2025

Join Heartland Co-op and learn about their saturated buffer & bioreactor batch and build program!