Secretary Naig Announces Start of Construction on Middle Cedar Watershed ‘Batch and Build’ Project

The Department is working with Heartland Co-op and other partners to get more nitrate reducing practices efficiently installed in Tama and Grundy Counties 

DES MOINES, Iowa (July 30, 2025) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that construction is starting on a “batch and build” water quality project in Tama and Grundy Counties. This project, led by Heartland Co-op, will include the installation of 14 saturated buffers and four bioreactors. These proven edge-of-field practices, which are outlined in the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, improve water quality and reduce the loss of nutrients, like nitrates, into Iowa’s waterways. Together, these 18 practices will treat 24 tile outlets and protect neighboring water sources in the Middle Cedar Watershed.

Iowa’s innovative “batch and build” model modernizes and expedites the installation of edge-of-field practices by batching the design and construction of conservation practices on multiple farms at once, accelerating water quality progress. This is the third “batch and build” project led by Heartland Co-op that has gone to the construction phase in the past two years. They have two additional batches already in the planning phase for construction beginning in 2026.

“Thank you to the farmers and landowners who said ‘yes’ to conservation by being part of this exciting water quality project. With strong support and leadership shown by partners like Heartland Co-op, the Iowa Seed Association, INREC and others, we are accelerating the adoption of water quality practices in priority watersheds across Iowa,” said Secretary Naig. “This project further demonstrates how we can make more water quality progress and do it more efficiently when partners work together. We’re proud of this project and we want to keep building the momentum by adding even more farms, practices and project partners in the years ahead.”

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is providing technical, design, and engineering support as well as cost-share for practice installation. Heartland Co-op is overseeing the project by leading landowner outreach and recruitment, site planning and project oversight. Iowa Seed Association is the fiscal agent, ISG Inc. provides design services, and Laser Precision is the contractor installing the practices. The project requires no out-of-pocket expenses from landowners and provides a privately funded temporary construction easement payment per tile outlet treated.

“Heartland Co-op is thrilled to see the installation of more conservation practices on the landscape that reduce the loss of nutrients from our farm fields,” said Ruth McCabe, Conservation Manager for Heartland Co-op. “Our partnership with Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and Iowa Seed Association makes this work possible, and we are proud of the cross-industry work we’ve accomplished with our partners thus far.”

This project was made possible with support from the Tama County Soil and Water Conservation District and Grundy County Soil and Water Conservation District as well as additional funding provided by the Cedar River Source Water Partnership, Agriculture’s Clean Water Alliance, BASF, Iowa Nutrient Research and Education Council, Iowa Seed Association, Syngenta and Unilever.

Construction is anticipated to be complete by Fall of 2025.