Craig Embretson

Beginning as a child, Craig Embretson became an important part of his family’s Clayton County farm. In addition to 960 acres of row-crop land, Craig owns 270 acres of land in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) as well as 325 acres of forested land. Situated among the rolling hills of Northeast Iowa, Craig puts great effort into preserving soil health and water quality on his farm.

Beginning in the mid-1990s, Craig began no tilling all his tillable acres. After nearly 30 years, he is happy to see a reduction in soil erosion on his farm. Like most farmers trying new practices, Craig had to overcome some hurdles maintain productivity. Despite a learning curve, he was able to produce yields that compared to those prior to no-tillage, while also reducing his inputs.

With agriculture having always been a part of Craig’s life, he is glad to see others around the state begin to adopt new practices. As he continues to work the land, Craig hopes that farmers continue to implement conservation practices, like retention ponds, to help keep Iowa’s soil from moving downstream.

Building a Culture of Conservation
“I am fortunate to be able to farm and see the benefits after a heavy rain, of the soil holding in place because of no-tillage”

Contact Information

Craig Embretson ~ Clayton County
19513 Gunder Road
Farmersburg, IA 52047
(563) 880-4402