AMES — The Whole Farm Conservation Best Practices Manual has been expanded to make it available free-of-charge for download or in hard copy. This second edition expands the range of practices and decision guides contained in the manual and incorporates feedback from users who have employed the manual since 2020.

The updates were made by the Conservation Learning Group, a think tank based at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

“The range and variability of conservation practices is broad,” said Matt Helmers, Iowa State professor and director of the Iowa Nutrient Research Center. “We knew when we released the first edition of the manual that it would continue to evolve and expand, but we wanted to get it into the hands of people who needed actionable advice as quickly as possible.”

The manual includes detailed information about each conservation practice and includes step-by-step decision worksheets to aid in determining the best practice(s) to meet the goals of the farmer or landowner.

Additional conservation practices in the new release include: multipurpose oxbows, windbreaks, riparian forest buffers, and bottomland timber establishment. Resources and practice information specifically targeted toward agricultural consultants and professionals have been moved out of the manual and established online. This will facilitate access by these individuals while keeping the farmer- and landowner-focused manual streamlined.

Designed primarily for farmers just starting out through three years of adopting conservation practices, the manual provides a broad range of information that could be beneficial to any farm producer. The manual is available for free download or in hard copy from the Iowa State Extension Store.