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The Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is offering a summer internship in 2023.  The internship is open to current college students (including spring 2023 graduates) majoring in a field of study related to agriculture, conservation, and other relevant studies as listed in the announcement.

The intern will assist the SWCD with various activities including field visits, layout and checkout of conservation practices, education and outreach, and other general office duties, as well as completing a special project for the SWCD (such as a research project, developing educational materials, planning an outreach event, etc.). 

This internship is a great way to get exposure to SWCDs, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  The special project provides an opportunity for the intern to focus part of their time on a topic they are interested in. 

To apply, students should submit a cover letter, resume, and list of three references to the Madison SWCD by Friday, February 17, 2023. 

Information about the summer internship and other opportunities for students is available on the For Students page of our website.

Madison County SWCD is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

High school seniors graduating this spring who plan to pursue studies in conservation or agriculture are encouraged to apply for the Conservation Scholarships offered by Conservation Districts of Iowa (CDI) in partnership with local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD). 

Application forms and scholarship rules are available on CDI’s website: https://cdiowa.org/get-involved/scholarships/

Applications must be submitted to the local SWCD office in the county where the student resides.  The deadline to apply is February 10, 2023.

SWCD commissioners will select an application to forward to the CDI Region, and then the CDI Regional Director will choose an application to forward to the state level for consideration.

The top three applicants in the state will be awarded scholarships in the amounts of $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000.  Winners from the remaining six regions will receive $500.  The scholarship will be paid directly to the applicant’s school of choice, to be used for the student’s first year of college education.

Students residing in Madison County should submit their application materials to the Madison County SWCD located at 815 E. Hwy 92 in Winterset by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, February 10. 

AMES, Iowa—Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Madison County Soil & Water Conservation District, will host a cover crop workshop Thursday, December 1 from 12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. at the Jackson Building on the Madison County Fairgrounds in Winterset. The free event is open to farmers and landowners and includes a complimentary meal.  

Cover crops offer many benefits to farmers and landowners including reduced soil erosion, weed suppression potential, reduced nitrogen and phosphorus loads entering water bodies, and increased organic matter in the soil. When paired with no-tillage additional benefits include increased water infiltration and reduced erosion during heavy rain events.  

With changes to recent Risk Management Agency federal crop insurance guidelines, interest is growing the area of relay cropping a winter cereal grain like rye or wheat with soybeans. Relay cropping is a system where a second crop is planted into an established crop before harvesting the first crop.  

Workshop attendees will have the opportunity to hear from a panel of local Madison County farmers: Dennis McLaughlin, Jon Peterson, and Randy Gamble. They are going to discuss their experiences with cover crops and no-till as well as answer any questions from an operator perspective.  

Ruth Blomquist, NRCS Soil Health Specialist, will discuss a few quick and easy ways to evaluate the benefits of soil health practices on your own. Alex Schaffer, Iowa Soybean Association Field Services Program Manager, will share relay cropping. Anna Golightly, Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District Conservation Assistant, will discuss cost share options.  

The workshop will be held at the Jackson Building on the Madison County Fairgrounds, 1146 West Summit St., Winterset, IA 50273.  

The event is free and open to farmers and landowners, though we require reservations to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP please contact Alena Whitaker at 515-294-2473 or ilf@iastate.edu. Attendees will be entered in a drawing for ISU Prairie Strips honey.  

Iowa Learning Farms field days and workshops are supported by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. 

Iowa Learning Farms field days and workshops are supported by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. For more information about Iowa Learning Farms, visit www.iowalearningfarms.org. 

About Iowa Learning Farms 

Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a Culture of Conservation by encouraging adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable. Partners of Iowa Learning Farms include the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources, EPA Section 319 Grant Program and GROWMARK, Inc.  

Related Links: https://www.iowalearningfarms.org/page/events