From Fields to the Gulf: How Agriculture Shapes the Mississippi River

11/23/2025

A conversation with Dr. Chris Jones
December 11, 2025 at noon, Via Zoom

What's really flowing down the Mississippi? From midwestern farm fields to the Gulf of Mexico, the story of water, agriculture, and the River's health affects us all. On December 11, LWV UMRR and One Mississippi hosted a fascinating conversation with author and research engineer Dr. Chris Jones, whose acclaimed book The Swine Republic pulls back the curtain on how modern agriculture drives water pollution—and what it will take to turn the tide.

Whether you're interested in farming and agricultural policy or simply care about water and our Mighty Mississippi, this program will leave you with a deeper understanding of how upstream actions ripple all the way to the Gulf.

Click here to see the video

Further Links and resources:

Dr. Chris Jones bio:

Until recently, Chris Jones was a Research Engineer with IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering at the University of Iowa. He holds a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from Montana State University and a BA in chemistry and biology from Simpson College. Previous career stops include the Des Moines Water Works and the Iowa Soybean Association. As an avid outdoorsman, he enjoys fishing, bird watching, gardening, and mushroom hunting in both Iowa and Wisconsin. While he spends most of his time in Iowa City, he is especially fond of the Upper Mississippi River and the Driftless Area of Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. He recently retired from the Univ. of Iowa, and in addition to his Substack and many speaking engagements, he has become executive director of Iowa Driftless Water Defenders (DWD).
Dr. Jones has over 5,000 subscribers on his Substack, which he describes as: "Writing about confluence of agriculture and environment from the heart of the big ag beast here in Iowa."

Subscribe to Chris's Substack here.

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From Fields to the Gulf: How Agriculture Shapes the Mississippi River

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