Tradition, innovation lead to meaningful conservation

For Jones County farmer Nicole Vernon, conservation has always been a part of her life and second nature to her.

Vernon was named the 2025 Iowa Conservation Woman of the Year by the Iowa Conservation Partnership for the conservation work she is doing on her Jones County farm. She was nominated by the Jones Soil and Water Conservation District.

The award honors women who advance conservation in meaningful ways. Vernon demonstrates this by implementing cover crops and rotational grazing, adopting innovative practices to improve soil and water, and giving back to her community through education and outreach.

Raised on Conservation

Vernon was raised on her family's farm where she grew up watching her dad implement conservation practices like no-till, celebrating earthworms as "God's natural plow" and learning pasture management from her mom.

She credits her parents, Jeff and Shielly Monck, with instilling her conservation ethic.

"It's how she grew up, riding in the combine and helping with crops," said Jeff. "We never did tillage and she was always curious about the soil and why it was important."

Acres to Call Her Own

Vernon purchased 100 acres in the summer of 2016 just before the start of her senior year at Iowa State University. She recalled her dad coming into the restaurant where she waited and wrote numbers on a napkin on how she could make it work financially.

Jeff knew she would be successful and this was the opportunity she needed. She was outbid by another buyer, but the owners decided to sell to her anyway. They wanted to sell to someone young and give her a start.

Nicole moved to the farm soon after purchasing the land, splitting her time between classes, driving, and the field. She started her journey by speaking with the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) to apply for a beginning farmer loan. At the advice of her father, she also visited USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office and applied for her first Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contract in 2018. CSP encourages the adoption of new technologies and management techniques and provides many benefits, including increased crop productivity, decreased inputs, wildlife habitat improvements and increased resilience to weather extremes.

"Working with the local NRCS field office is pretty easy," said Vernon. "I am there at least once a year to sit down and talk over things. I know I can send them an email or visit to ask my questions, which is important because things change a lot around here.

"They understand farming is not one size fits all. We are a family-owned working farm. It is still Mom and Dad's bread and butter. I am slowly working my way in, so when I have my ideas or dad has his sometimes, we battle it out about what is going to happen, but we know [NRCS] will help us navigate what is best for our operation."

The hilly acreage Nicole bought was tilled for many years and had gullies and runoff problems. She started practicing no-till farming on her land, with financial assistance through CSP. It also included pollinator planting and forest stand improvement. Vernon said she started truly noticing a difference in her soil and seeing the benefits three years later.

Cover Crops and Cattle

Vernon and her husband, Jon, farm alongside her parents where their cows rotate through pastures and cover crops. Implementing rotational grazing and cover crops helps protect the soil, reduce compaction and extend forage.

"We seed rye into our row crops after chopping silage, which helps with ground cover and provides grazing for our cows in the fall and spring," explained Vernon.

Oats and cowpeas are drilled each year, and radishes are added to help break up compaction. "Last year the cows grazed everything, then came back and ate the radishes. The goats help clean up everything else," she added.

The Vernons have about 20 goats, which help with brush management by grazing the plants the cows don't want.

In 2025, they utilized Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funding for brush management with the goats. EQIP is a voluntary conservation program, administered through NRCS, that helps producers implement practices and activities in their conservation plan that can lead to cleaner water and air, healthier soil and better wildlife habitat, all while improving their agricultural operations.

When "Weird" is Right

Vernon said her family isn't afraid to try things that seem "weird" to other producers in the area. Their newest venture is using a cob harvester to gather corncobs for bedding, cattle feed and biochar. Vernon is also working with the Iowa Department of Agriculture Land Stewardship (IDALS) and Iowa State University to install a bioreactor to study how corncobs filter nitrates from water.

Another new project involves intercropping, alternating rows of corn and soybeans, then harvesting them together for more nutrient-rich silage. Through intercropping, soybeans receive enough light to thrive while providing nitrogen for the corn. Vernon is working to fine-tune plant populations and nutrient management as they work toward an even better feed for their cows.

To reduce time spent manually rotating cattle through paddocks, Vernon is also planning to use GPS collars for cattle in grazing areas that are more difficult to fence.

Sharing the Passion

Vernon enjoys showing others how conservation works on her farm through markets, school visits and social media. To connect more with local families, they joined the Dubuque Famers Market where they sell their meat and share information about their operation and how conservation is helping.

"Nicole and her mom started Moncks Homegrown, where they sell our beef and pork," said Jeff. "It is fun to see our children and grandchildren getting involved and helping when they are at the farmer's market. I am so proud of everything she has accomplished and look forward to seeing what she does next. I know our land is in good hands."

Nicole is a member of the Jones County FSA County Committee, an active volunteer with the Jones County Beef Producers, a former representative for Jones County on the Southeast Iowa Agricultural Research Association Board and serves on her church council.

For more information about conservation practices and programs to protect the natural resources on your land, visit your local NRCS office or go to www.nrcs.usda.gov/ia.

Bopp is a public affairs specialist at USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Des Moines.