Butler County Soil & Water Conservation District

04/09/2026

K-12 Poster Contest!
Get creative and join the fun! Students in grades K-12 are invited to design a poster that showcases their imagination, talent, and unique point of view. Enter for a chance to win cash prizes and show off your artistic skills to your school and community!

03/30/2026

Come enjoy the evening and have some fun!! Open house so come and go as you’d like! Hope to see you!

04/08/2025

Time of year to get your set a side burned. Always take precautions (like tractor and disk) to keep things under control.

01/01/2025

Happy new year everyone from your friends at BCSWCD,Have a blessed year

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas and Happy new year from butler county soil and water conservation

11/13/2024

05/17/2024

Lovely clean water flowing and cows enjoying the sun

05/14/2024

🚨𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆, 𝗜𝗼𝘄𝗮🚨

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀

Are you interested in learning about new technology that can help you balance productivity, profitability, and environmental impact on your farm?

𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟰𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟭𝟮:𝟬𝟬 𝗣𝗠 𝘁𝗼 𝟮:𝟬𝟬 𝗣𝗠 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗡𝗮𝘀𝗵𝘂𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀!

➡️ This workshop is designed for farmers and landowners like you to learn about innovative robotic and sensor technology that can improve drainage efficiency.

➡️ Enjoy a complimentary meal and be entered in a drawing for ISU Prairie Strips honey!

𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝘀𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗥𝗦𝗩𝗣 𝗯𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟯𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗶𝘇 𝗥𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝟱𝟭𝟱-𝟮𝟵𝟰-𝟱𝟰𝟮𝟵 𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗜𝗟𝗙@𝗜𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘.𝗘𝗗𝗨

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗜𝗼𝘄𝗮 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝘁 www.iowalearningfarms.org

05/10/2024

𝐂𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐩 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐡 💰& 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 💦

𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐨𝐰𝐚 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬! The State Water Quality Initiative (WQI) is offering financial support for cover crops again this year.

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧:

▪️𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐬? Get $30/acre (up to 160 acres)
▪️𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐬𝐞𝐫? You're eligible for $20/acre (up to 160 acres)

𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭-𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐬𝐨 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐲! ⏰ Approval begins around July 1st for first-time users and mid-July for returning users.

Get the full details on the 2025 Clean Water IOWA Water Quality Practices Sheet (see pic below)

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫?

✅ 𝐆𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 & 𝐌𝐚𝐩𝐬: Grab these from your local FSA office before applying.
✅ 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭: Fill out the application, residue plan, seeding verification, and W-9 form each year.
✅ 𝐔𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐝? No problem! Just fill out a self-work form and provide seed test docs.

𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫:

❌ Land already receiving EQIP or CSP funds can't be enrolled in WQI for the same practice.
❌ Don't till after seeding your cover crops.
❌ Harvesting cover crops for seed or grain disqualifies you from receiving cost-share funds.
🚨Submit your paperwork ASAP after completing the practice to avoid delays.
📍Alternative funding options are available if you don't qualify for WQI.

**𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠** Visit our office by July 1st! This will allow us to assist you directly and answer any questions you may have.

𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐮𝐬 📞 at 319-267-2706 (press 3) to schedule your visit!

Let's work together to improve water quality and your bottom line!

(𝖠𝗇 𝖤𝗊𝗎𝖺𝗅 𝖮𝗉𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗎𝗇𝗂𝗍𝗒 𝖯𝗋𝗈𝗏𝗂𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖤𝗆𝗉𝗅𝗈𝗒𝖾𝗋)

05/04/2024

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐨𝐰𝐚'𝐬 𝟖𝟑𝐫𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 ♻️

As we wrap up another successful celebration, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who followed and supported this year's Soil and Water Conservation Week, from April 28th to May 5th. Your engagement and enthusiasm play a crucial role in our mission.

This year, under the theme "May the Forest Be with You Always," we highlighted the vital importance of forests in soil and water conservation and their role in maintaining our ecological balance.

We're inspired by the dedication of the Butler SWCD, all 100 of Iowa's Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in leading efforts to enhance soil health, improve water quality, and protect our precious natural resources. 🌳💧🌱

𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐦 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝, 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬.

Every action counts in our journey towards a sustainable future!

05/03/2024

𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡'𝐬 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐆𝐞𝐦𝐬: 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥, 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 & 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬

The Earth holds incredible secrets beneath our feet and within its flowing waters. Let's explore these vital resources and some surprising facts about them!

𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥: 𝐀 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐫 🧫🔬🦠

▪️Did you know a teaspoon of soil teems with billions of organisms, making it a miniature metropolis of life?
▪️It takes nature centuries to create just an inch of topsoil. Treat it with respect!
▪️Soil's color is a clue! Black or dark brown indicates richness, while red reveals high iron content.

𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫: 𝐀𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 & 𝐄𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 🏺🧊🐳

▪️While oceans dominate Earth's surface, only 1% is fresh water readily available for us.
▪️The water we drink is a timeless traveler, recycled since the dinosaur era!
▪️Deep-sea pressure is mind-blowing – like having 50 jumbo jets stacked on you!
▪️Water, the "universal solvent," dissolves more than any other liquid, making it crucial for life.
▪️Unlike most things, water expands when it freezes. This quirk prevents oceans from solidifying from the bottom up,allowing life to thrive in cold regions.

𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐮𝐬: 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬 🌲🫁🦬
▪️Forests are Earth's lungs, producing over 20% of the oxygen we breathe.
▪️A single large tree can release gallons of water v***r daily, influencing local climates.
▪️Forests provide homes for countless species, making them biodiversity hotspots.

𝐋𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐁𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬!

Understanding these vital resources highlights the importance of conservation. Every step we take to protect soil, water,and forests contributes to a healthy planet for all. Remember, the responsibility to nurture Earth starts with you!