Lawmakers in Maine are considering ways to help farmers develop long-term solutions to drought, which has plagued the state for the past three years. The lack of steady rain has at times dwindled the size of Maine s prized blueberry and potato crops, and left fields of hay too dry for livestock to consume. Sen. .
The Iowa Legislature is considering a bill to maximize groundwater protection in the state. Senate File 311 would allow the state Department of Agriculture to shift money from urban water projects to agricultural projects, in what s known as the Water Quality Initiative - a strategy for protecting Iowa s watersheds. Kate Hansen - senior attorney for the Center for Rural Affairs - said shifting money from urban to agricultural areas would allow more conservation practices to be put in place for removing dangerous nutrients, like nitrates from fertilizers. .