CAFOs & Pollution: How Big is the Elephant in the Room?

ALUS, an international farmer-led program, seeks to build resilient agriculture with nature-based solutions. These projects, such as wetland protection and native plant restoration, help agricultural communities prepare for extreme weather events while enhancing local biodiversity.

In March, southwest Iowa farmer Seth Watkins and Golden Hills Resource Conservation and Development's Cara Marker-Morgan worked to bring ALUS to the state.

The program will help Southwest Iowa farmers create and protect ecosystem services, while addressing Iowa’s unique environmental challenges related to soil health, water quality, and habitat restoration.

Iowa’s native trees, shrub, and grassland prairies make up less than 1% of the current land use, primarily due to the dense, high-producing farmland that blankets the state. By reintegrating tallgrass prairies and native habitat to Southwest Iowa’s agricultural land, the ALUS will work with farmers to address soil erosion and nutrient run-off.

“Adding tallgrass prairie to the working landscape can help address some of the environmental challenges we have in Iowa, like soil erosion and nutrient run-off,” says Seth Watkins of Pinhook Farms. “They’re resilient to drought and poor soil conditions and provide habitat for a variety of wildlife, like pollinators, beneficial insects and birds."

Read the entire story about ALUS's project in Iowa here.

How NOAA Predicts Extreme Weather

Amidst catastrophic flooding and prolonged heat waves in the Midwest, a much larger storm is brewing along the equator. This summer ushers in a ‘La Niña’, an atmospheric phenomenon that results in more frequent, stronger hurricanes along the Atlantic. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts between 17 to 25 significant storms this year, with 4 to 7 with potential to become major hurricanes.

Just this past week, Hurricane Beryl caused extreme damage to islands in the south Caribbean, an early warning for future storms. There has been no other storm this significant this early in the La Niña season ever recorded.

NOAA’s forecasts rely on complex models that can provide insight on flood mapping, storm predictability, and hurricane tracking. These models help public officials report to emerging threats and alert the public of imminent danger. In abnormally threatening hurricane conditions, these forecasts are even more valuable. Funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act support this research, as well as respond to issues like flooding, algal blooms, and other aquatic issues throughout the United States.

According to NOAA, establishing the ‘New Blue Economy’ is necessary for coastal resilience and climate adaptation. Over 40 million people reside in America’s coastal communities, with countless others overseas in the Caribbean and Latin America. NOAA’s forecasting tools are essential to protect the lives of those vulnerable to hurricanes and inclement weather.

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