Soil Health and Conservation Conversations: Catherine DeLong

Change can be difficult. Talking about it might be even tougher sometimes. But when the subject comes to the future viability of your farming operations or investments, a conversation might be worth the awkwardness, Catherine DeLong believes.

DeLong has spent the past 15 years focused on soil and water after transitioning from her original plans to become an international spy. Quite a transition, huh?

“The thing I wanted most about where I wanted my life to go was to get out of Iowa,” she explained to American Farmland Owner about her thinking as a teenager. “I had wanted to have, like a fabulous international lifestyle where I was like a diplomat or foreign service.”

“Maybe I was a spy, something like that.”

Instead, DeJong spent time working on a Colorado ski lift and a California farm, and she decided that her passion was more grounded rather than becoming a woman of mystery overseas.

“Some connection to the environment” became her plan. 

Catherine DeLong bio

• Iowa State University Extension and Outreach – Water Quality Program Manager

• Soil and Water Conservation Society – Director of Special Projects and Policy

• Conservation Districts of Iowa – Water Quality District

• International Year of Soils Blog – Founder, Coordinator, Contributor

• Iowa Water Center – Program Assistant

  
  

RELATED: Clay Landry -- CEO, President, and a Principal of WestWater Research – wants investors to understand the potential value of water. This is how he wants landowners to reimagine their farms. 

A graduate degree in soil science, some work on invasive species removal, cataloging sunflower plots, water research, and soil carbon assessment now has DeLong focused on helping farmland owners starting a conservation that could change the direction of their operations.

Beginning a Conversation about Farmland Conservation Priorities

"What we've learned is that one of the things that landowners need the most help with is having that conversation and having tools to approach it with their tenant or co-owner about making changes," she explained.

Whether it is trying a new conservation practice like cover crops or exploring reduced tillage options, these discussions are crucial for effective collaboration.

Often, landowners assume that making a suggestion to their tenant can be uncomfortable, especially if the tenant has been farming for a long time. DeLong acknowledges this discomfort but stresses that it is important to break the silence.

"A lot of times, landowners think it's hard to bring up new ideas to their tenants. But we also see that tenants can be nervous about starting something new without the support of their landowners."

By opening the lines of communication, both parties can express their interests and concerns in a supportive environment.

"More communication is always more important than less," DeLong advises.

Promoting Conservation Practices on the Farm

Landowners should not shy away from discussing their interest in conservation practices with tenants, even if they don't have a farming background. "If you have an interest in soil health or reduced tillage, express that to your tenant. They might be on the same page but nervous to bring it up themselves."

In Iowa, where 58% of farmland is leased, starting this conversation is particularly important. “The power of the land is often in the hands of the landowners,” DeLong noted.

Taking the initiative to express an interest in new farming practices can go a long way in fostering collaboration. However, it is not just about communication; it is also about managing risk, DeJong advised.

RELATED: Northwest Iowa has some of the best soil in the United States. This is why. 

Farmland Conservation Could Bring Financial Risk

Introducing new conservation practices, such as reduced tillage or cover crops, often carries some level of financial risk. DeLong encourages landowners to explore ways to help mitigate that risk, whether by looking into financial incentives or offering more flexible lease arrangements. "Are you willing to help them look into financial incentives? Or are you willing to shift from cash rent to crop share?" she asked. “Helping manage risk is a huge part of the conversation.”

When it comes to the financial aspects, DeLong recognized that the current political and economic climate creates uncertainty, especially with fluctuating federal funding for conservation programs. "We are in a really unusual time right now,” she admitted, referring to the recent freeze on federal funds for conservation programs like EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program). This has caused anxiety among farmers who had already committed to projects based on the expectation of receiving reimbursements.

“A lot of these are reimbursement programs, so someone has already put the money in to do this. And then they were told they might not be reimbursed,” DeLong explained.

Despite the uncertainty, DeLong believes that many long-standing conservation programs will continue. "We don’t have any indication that programs like EQIP and the Conservation Stewardship Program won’t continue," she said.

Climate Initiatives Face Uncertain Future

These programs, funded by the Farm Bill, are seen as a cornerstone of conservation efforts. However, DeLong also acknowledged that newer programs, like those emphasizing climate-smart practices, are more vulnerable due to shifting political priorities.

Still, DeLong emphasized that many conservation decisions can make good economic sense for farmers. "A decent portion of Iowa's land is unproductive, where farmers are putting more money into inputs than they're getting back in revenue."

Programs like the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which pays farmers to take land out of production, offer an opportunity to improve financial outcomes while protecting the land.

DeLong said, "Reducing tillage or taking land out of production may be economically advantageous in the long term."

But this type of strategy means thinking beyond annual budgets. "It's hard to think long-term when you're in survival mode, especially in years with tight margins."

"One way landowners can help is by offering leases that last longer than one year. This provides tenants with the stability needed to make decisions with a longer-term view in mind."

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offers its second year of the Landowner Education Program, a free collaboration that unites conservation, agronomy, economics and legal experts with landowners for a series of in-person and online events to learn about establishing policies and conversations that promote soil health and conservation. The program is targeted at land that is primarily devoted to row crops.

The program is free but requires an application that is due April 4. Find out more information here. 

RELATED: North Dakota Secretary of Agriculture Doug Goehring believes that his strategy on his farm – and likely many others – could be diversification. Here is why he thinks that.