Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and the Iowa Nutrient Research & Education Council (INREC) today announced the expansion of the Nitrogen Soil Sampling Project that delivers free nitrogen soil testing for farmers in counties upstream from the Des Moines and Cedar Rapids metro areas. The announcement was made during the Conservation Districts of Iowa annual meeting in Ames.
The Nitrogen Soil Sampling Project, originally launched in April 2026, was well-received by Iowa farmers and sign-ups filled up quickly. Because of the program’s popularity, INREC is doubling the project capacity for fall 2026 and expanding the program area to include farmers in all 22 counties in the Greater Des Moines watershed, in addition to four counties in the Middle Cedar watershed. The three-year program is designed to assess year-over-year variability in nitrogen availability and evaluate how on-farm management decisions are impacted by residual soil nitrogen.
“As farmers continue to navigate a challenging ag economy, many are searching for tools to optimize their fertilizer and input costs, while supporting ongoing efforts to improve Iowa’s water quality,” said Secretary Naig. “One soil sample represents a snapshot in time, and this multi-year Nitrogen Soil Sampling Project is designed to help farmers track patterns and better understand how weather and growing season variability affects the residual nitrogen levels in their soils. When the soil sampling data is coupled with the N-FACT tool, farmers can make more informed fertilizer management decisions to minimize costs while maintaining yields and delivering water quality benefits.”
Source : iowaagriculture.gov