Resources

Access practical info about farming, streams, and fishing in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin

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Your Watershed

How’s My Waterway? | U.S. EPA, Learn the condition of local streams, lakes and other waters
Ag Site Assessment Tool | Generate a report on your land and its surroundings
Science in Your Watershed | U.S. Geological Survey

Agricultural Practices

Soil Health Digest: 20 Things Every Farmer Needs to Know | Successful Farming Soil Health Digest
Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program | Minnesota Department of Ag
Best Management Practices | Clean Water Iowa
Iowa Learning Farms | Iowa State University Extension
Best Management Practices | Illinois Council On Best Management Practices
Agricultural Best Management Practices Handbook For Minnesota | Minnesota Department Of Ag
Nitrogen Fertilizer Best Management Practices | Minnesota Department Of Agriculture
Private Landowner Network | Encyclopedic resource for conservation of private lands
CP 43 Prairie STRIPs Practice | United States Department of Agriculture
Soil & Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) | Illinois
Soil & Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) | Iowa
Soil & Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) | Minnesota
Soil & Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) | Missouri
Soil & Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) | Wisconsin

Grazing

Grassworks
Wallace Pasture Project
Iowa Forage & Grassland Council
Minnesota Grazing Lands Conservation Association
Missouri Forage & Grassland Council
National Grazing Lands Coalition
Practical Farmers Of Iowa
Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship
Marketing & Financials of Grass-fed Beef | Rod Ofte Coon Valley, WI
School For Beginning Dairy & Livestock Farmers | University Of Wisconsin
Illinois Grazing Manual | NRCS Illinois
Library Of Grazing Publications | Iowa Beef Center, Iowa State University Extension
Mob Grazing | NRCS Iowa
Rotational Grazing | Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture
Perennial Forages and Grazing | Land Stewardship Project
Pasture Based Dairy Program | University Of Missouri Extension
Grazing Management | Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources
Pasture For Profit: A Guide To Rotational Grazing | USDA NRCS
Why make the transition to grazing? | Wisconsin farmers share their perspectives
The Benefits of Rotational Grazing | Jim Munsch Coon Valley, WI

Cover Crops

Considerations for First Time Cover Crop Adopters | Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council
Reducing Soil Erosion with Cover Crops | Iowa Learning Farms
Cover Crops | Iowa State University
Conservation Practices – Cover Crops | Minnesota Department of Agriculture
NRCS – Cover Crops | U.S. Department of Agriculture
Cover Crops | Practical Farmers of Iowa
Missouri Crop Resource Guide | University of Missouri Extension
Soil Science Extension – Cover Crops | University of Wisconsin Extension
Cover Crops Network | Illinois Department of Agriculture
Cover Crops in the Midwest | Midwest Cover Crops Council
Awesome Soils: No-till & Cover Crops Video | Winona County Soil & Water Conservation District
Seeding Cover Crops (Biostrips) & Custom Made Inner Seed Rig | Winona County Soil & Water Conservation District

Leased Land

Landowner’s Toolbox | Drake University Agricultural Law Center
Sustainable Farm Lease | Videos | Drake University Agricultural Law Center
A Landowner’s Guide To Leasing Land For Farming | Land For Good
Improving Your Farm Lease Contract | Iowa State University Extension
Women Caring For the Land | Conservation Outreach For Female Non-operator Landowners
Conservation Addendum For Farm Lease | USDA NRCS
Library of Land Leasing Publications | University of Missouri Extension

Farm Transition

Farm Transitions Network
Farm Succession Workshops | Iowa State University Extension
Farm Transition Tools | Land Stewardship Project
Keeping It In the Family | Book | Lobley, Baker, Whitehead
Partnership For America’s New Farmers

Land Trusts

Mississippi Valley Conservancy
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
American Farmland Trust
Minnesota Land Trust
Putting the Land In Trust | Missouri Dept. Of Conservation
Gathering Waters | Wisconsin’s Alliance For Land Trusts
Watershed Land Trust
Wetlands America Trust | Ducks Unlimited

Water Law

Water Laws & Regulation | Iowa Water Center
Clean Water Act Marks 40th Anniversary | Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Fundamentals Of Minnesota Watershed Law | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Clean Water Act In Missouri | Missouri Coalition For the Environment
Clear Progress: The Clean Water Act At 40 | Wisconsin Department Of Natural Resources

Watershed Groups

Farmer-Led Groups in Upper Mississippi River Basin | Fishers & Farmers Partnership
Watershed Groups | Illinois
Watershed Groups | Iowa
Watershed Groups | Minnesota
Watershed Groups | Missouri
Watershed Groups | Wisconsin
Iowa Watershed Projects Map | Iowa Department Of Ag & Land Stewardship
Minnesota Association Of Watershed Districts
Missouri Stream Team

Places To Fish

Wisconsin
Iowa
Illinois
Minnesota
Missouri

Get a Fishing License

Fishing laws & license info for all states or buy a license online
One-stop resource for everything fishing and boating

Fish In the Basin

Fishes Of Iowa
Fishes Of Illinois
Fishes Of Minnesota
Missouri Field Guide | Fish
Fishes Of Wisconsin
The American Fisheries Society | State chapters
The following mapbooks are prepared by Fishers & Farmers Partnership as decision-making tools for habitat restoration. Files are large, so will take a few minutes to download.
Iowa Fish Habitat Mapbook
Illinois Fish Habitat Mapbook
Minnesota Fish Habitat Mapbook
Missouri Fish Habitat Mapbook
Wisconsin Fish Habitat Mapbook

Fishing Groups

Federation Of Fly Fishers | Missouri
Bass Fishing Clubs | All states
Bass Nation
Trout Unlimited
Northern Illinois Anglers Association
Iowa Fishing Clubs
Woman Anglers Of Minnesota
American Casting Association | Missouri
Eastern Missouri Crappie Club
Missouri Kayak Fishing Association
Missouri Trout Fishing Organizations
Yahara Fishing Club | Wisconsin
Wisconsin Women Fish

Fish Passage – You Can Help

Minnesota Guide for Stream Connectivity and Aquatic Organism Passage Through Culverts | Minnesota Department of Transportation
Culvert versus Bridge Selection Help | Minnesota Department of Transportation
Minnesota Statewide Altered Watercourse Project | Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Fish Passage at Dams Strategic Analysis | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
National Fish Passage Program | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Fish and Aquatic Conservation | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

River Restoration & Stream Tools

Iowa’s River Restoration Toolbox | Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Watershed Restoration Viewer | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Stream Habitat Program – River Ecology Unit | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Watershed Health Assessment Framework Tool | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Fishes of Minnesota Mapper | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Local Leadership

Questions To Consider When Starting a Farmer-Led Watershed Group | UW Discovery Farms
Producer-Led Watershed Protection Resources | WI Dept. Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection
Leading By Example: 2015 Wisconsin Farmer-Led Watershed Council Report | UW Extension
Indian Creek Watershed Project Keys To Success | Video | Purdue University
Community Leaders’ Guide to Building Watershed Communities | Iowa State University
Leadership & Performance Based Watershed Management | Iowa State University
A Start-Up Guide For Farmer-Led Watersheds | Resources, video & stories | University of Wisconsin
Civic Engagement In Watershed Projects | Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Educating the Next Generation Of Water Leaders | Webinar | North Central Region Water Network
Farmer Leadership In Watershed Management | Webinar | North Central Region Water Network
Indiana Watershed Leadership Program | Archived Webinars | Purdue University
Know Your Watershed | Library of support for local, voluntary watershed partnerships
Managing Conflict | Conservation Technology Information Center
Leading & Communicating | Conservation Technology Information Center
Pathways For Getting To Better Water Quality: The Citizen Effect | Book | Morton & Brown
Co-Nexio: Leading Through Change

Stories About People, Farms, & Rivers In Our Basin

Voices of the River | Meet people who’ve acted for the Minnesota River
Channels of Collaboration | Working together for the Upper Minnesota River
Curiosity Alive & Well On the Farm & In the Focus Group | Yellow Medicine River
Where Did the Riffles & Pools Go? | Watonwan River
The Flow In the Watonwan | Watonwan River
Minnesota Farmer Connects Land, People, and Rivers | Anne Queenan interviews Carmen Fernholtz
State Trail System Brings Recreation To Blue Earth River | A small town story on KSMQ’s “Off 90”
A Citizen Advisory Group Gets Started | Le Sueur River Watershed
Our Ties To the Land & Water | 7 Recommendations | Le Sueur River Watershed
Doug Albin’s Questions Become Conservation Legacy | Yellow Medicine River
Art & Barb Straub, Educating Children To Restore the Minnesota River
Restoring Oxbow Lakes Along the Boone River | The Nature Conservancy Brochure
Why Strip Till and Cover Crops Matter | Boone River Watershed
Root River Field to Stream Partnership | Minnesota Department of Ag

Learning Libraries

So What’s a Pasture Walk? | Jim Munsch Coon Valley, WI
Resources For Nutrient Management Planners | University of Missouri Extension
Farm Management | University of Missouri Extension
Grazing | Iowa Beef Center, Iowa State University Extension
Action & Innovation In Upper Midwest Watersheds | Webinar Library | North Central Water Network
Managing by Network Presentation-Fishers & Farmers:Watershed Leaders Network | Partnership and Community Collaboration Academy
Collaborative Conservation Broadcast with Fishers & Farmers & Iowa Soybean Association | USFWS
Efforts to Ensure Biodiversity: The Endangered Species Act | LawShelf Educational Media
The Watershed Game | University of Minnesota Extension
Fishers & Farmers Presentation, RFP, Project Template, Ranking, Watershed Leaders Network | FFP