By John Damon

Iowa Farmers: Voluntary Runoff Strategy Failed, Seek Regulation

Three Iowa corn and soybean farmers are calling for regulatory action to reduce fertilizer runoff, arguing that the state's 13-year voluntary Nutrient Reduction Strategy has failed to protect water quality. James Hepp, Matthew Bormann, and Zack Smith say voluntary measures have fallen drastically short, leaving taxpayers on the hook for expensive water treatment while nitrogen and phosphorus continue to pollute local waterways.

Why Iowa Farmers Are Demanding Action on Water Quality

James Hepp, a 36-year-old grower from northern Iowa, says he has watched the state encourage voluntary conservation practices for over a decade with little to show for it. Alongside fellow farmers Matthew Bormann and Zack Smith, Hepp is part of a trio known as the