Kevin Cooper brings on-farm water quality efforts to his classroom and community
NEVADA, Iowa (IAWA) – For Nevada High School teacher and part-time farmer Kevin Cooper, water quality practices aren’t just a textbook topic – they’re a part of his life that he shares with his students and community.
That combo of education, engagement, and enthusiasm is why Cooper was named the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance (IAWA) 2024 Individual Impact Award winner.
“Kevin practices what he preaches in his ag classes,” said Iowa USDA-NRCS State Soil Health Specialist Hillary Olson, who nominated Cooper for the award. “He uses no-till and cover crops on his own farm – those practices make great real-world demonstrations for students when he brings them out to the field.”
Whether in the field or the classroom, Cooper often combines his own experiences and knowledge with that of subject-matter experts, all for the benefit of his students.
“I’ve been farming no-till for 17 years, and I’ve used cover crops on both corn and soybeans.” Cooper said. “I’ve also had Heartland Cooperative and Hagie Sprayers use an innovative Montag seeding unit to seed rye in standing corn in early September – several of my students saw that process practice.”
In another project, Nevada FFA students used Cooper’s guidance to try out no-till farming on their test plots.
Cooper enjoys getting students to think critically and solve problems. He recalled an instance when a lesson about watersheds inspired students to talk about addressing nutrient runoff.
“A spirited discussion led to the idea of installing a (woodchip) bioreactor, which the students wanted to learn more about,” Cooper said. “I invited [Story County Watershed Coordinator] Sara Carmichael in as a guest speaker – the students enjoyed her expertise and enthusiasm on the topic of water quality.”
On top of his impact on thousands of students over four decades of teaching, Cooper has also engaged fellow farmers and the community in general, including through field days and other events.
“In 2017, Kevin aided a fellow farmer in hosting the U.S. Secretary of Ag, Iowa Senators, and executive staff from many organizations and agencies,” Olson said.
Cooper takes care to measure the effectiveness of his no-till, cover crop, and pollinator buffer strip practices. He partners with folks like Olson, Iowa Soybean Association RCFI Water Lab Service Manager Tony Seeman and Heartland Co-op Conservation Agronomist Ruth McCabe to measure water and soil health on his land.
Through his and the Nevada FFA’s conservation practices, Cooper has positively impacted some 220 acres of farmland. The positive impact of the water and soil health-centered education his students carry forward may be immeasurable.
The Individual Impact Award is organized by IAWA in collaboration with Iowa DNR, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Conservation Districts of Iowa, and Iowa State University.
The Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance (IAWA) is increasing the pace and scale of farmer-led efforts to improve water quality in Iowa. Founded in 2014 by Iowa Corn, the Iowa Soybean Association, and the Iowa Pork Producers Association, IAWA is building public-private partnerships focused on implementing water quality solutions. Learn more at www.iaagwater.org.