About STRIPS
STRIPS stands for Science-based Trials of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairie Strips. The STRIPS project is composed of a team of scientists, educators, farmers, and extension specialists working on the prairie strips farmland conservation practice. Our research shows that prairie strips are an affordable option for farmers and farm landowners seeking to garner multiple benefits. By converting 10% of a crop field to diverse, native perennials farmers and farmland owners can reduce the amount of soil leaving their fields by 90% and the amount of nitrogen leaving their fields through surface runoff by up to 85%. Prairie strips also provide potential habitat for wildlife, including pollinators and other beneficial insects.
Need more information on just what prairie strips are? Click here.
Or visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
To watch a short movie about the history, design, and benefits of prairie strips please click here.
To find out about our team, mission, vision, and guiding principles: Read more.
Interested in implementing prairie strips on your land? Contact prairiestrips@iastate.edu today!
Recent News
The Science-based Trails of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairie Strips (STRIPS) project grew significantly in 2018 to include additional farms, institutions, and regions. The STRIPS team added a new team member to help support the expanded collaboration and welcomes Omar de Kok-Mercado as their new Project Coordinator! Omar received his B.S. degree in Agronomy and M.S. in Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry from Iowa State University.
Wisconsin farmers and farmland owners are establishing prairie strips! Click here to learn more.
Prairie strips will be part of several field days this summer. Click here for more information.
Our cooperators are best at explaining why prairie strips are a practical farmland conservation tool. We've collected a few of their testimonials on this new web page. Check back in the future for more.
FedByScience is a new initiative supported by 16 universities focused on raising awareness about the importance of public funding for food and agricultural research. The group is highlighting STRIPS research as a science success story. Read more about the effort here.