We All Want Clean H2O

Some amazing ideas to fix the problems of intensive agricultural systems.

In this episode, Professor Emeritus Matt Liebman talks with us about realistic and transformative changes that we could make in Iowa to improve environmental performance, enhance social resilience and promote a robust vibrant rural economy. So much wisdom packed in a little over 30 minutes! 

This episode is in solidarity with Iowa's teachers and librarians under attack by the Iowa legislature. It is our first Ask Me Anything, graciously and awesomely hosted by Lisa Petri, who is a school librarian in Iowa City. Lisa collated and curated questions from twitter and Iowa residents for us to answer. 

In this episode, we talk about the past and future drainage in Iowa, and how it connects to our production system. We also discuss some recent developments regarding ethanol and its demise. 

In this episode we spell out why the current carbon offset schemes in the US, through voluntary markets and USDA taxpayer funded programs, likely do not reduce carbon emissions from agriculture and, more broadly, why they do not improve the provision of other ecosystem services such as clean water. 

Dave Swenson from Iowa State University talked to us about the rationales of our current ethanol policy, the sector's political economy and his thoughts on the future of the industry. Alas, this episode has no mentions of any instapot recipe, but breakfast pizza does make an appearance. 

In this episode, we talk about biodigesters, their potential unintended consequences in areas of high Confined Animal Feeding Operations' densities, and why there are so many laws at the state and federal levels being proposed or passed to support them (hint: it's got to do with climate change mitigation policies).   

In which Dr. Secchi and Dr. Jones opine that we are not going to soil health our way out of bad water (™ Chris Jones), and in fact focusing the conversation on soil health may be counterproductive in addressing the environmental, economic and social problems of contemporary Corn Belt agriculture.

In our crappiest episode yet, we talk about how ineffective Manure Management Plans are, and the problems associated with livestock waste in Iowa's agriculture. 
(Sorry we did not make it to biodigesters!)  

In this episode, we discuss the (lack of) relevance of WOTUS for agriculture, disagree on something besides when to use an instapot (specifically, the bond referendum for water quality initiatives in Polk county), and answer some listener questions.