In spring amid the newly-planted fields and rolling forested hills in central Minnesota, sunlight sparkles off its many streams and lakes.

Working to keep the water sparkling, several farmers in the Sauk River watershed chain of lakes southwest of St. Cloud stand out for their conservation farming practices that benefit water quality.

An increasing number have signed up for the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program. A voluntary program for farmers and landowners that protects the state’s water resources, so far more than 400 farms have been certified statewide.

Dan Schlangen’s dairy farm (photo, right) sits just across the road from Vails and Eden lakes north of Eden Valley in southern Stearns County. Like many small farms of the past, over many years the manure and cropland runoff degraded water quality in nearby streams and lakes.

When contacted several years ago by the Stearns Soil and Water Conservation District about the need to improve a manure storage pit, it led to a new basin, manure stacking slab, and a 60-foot-wide, mile-long grass waterway.

“It was a lot of meetings, paperwork, and cost,” Dan says. “People hesitate to do anything because of that. But we were near two lakes, and we like to use them for recreation, too. We realized that the SWCD was on our side, and it was good working with them.”

Another report on progress in the watershed shows improvement over the past 10 years from a decline in sediment and particles, and excess amounts of the nutrients phosphorus and nitrogen, which fuel algae growth. The reports are available on the MPCA Sauk River watershed webpage.

A few miles northeast of Schlangen’s, Mill Creek wraps around the barns of Tom Gregory’s home place about five miles southeast of Cold Spring. Today, after major improvements, it would be a challenge to find evidence of excess pollutants in runoff to the creek. (Photo: Tom Gregory points out cattails in Mill Creek behind the barns) 

As it meanders from Goodners Lake toward Pearl Lake, Mill Creek flows through the dairy protected by wide buffers and proper manure storage. A major expansion to about 600 cows moved the dairy to a new barn across the road and farther from Mill Creek. A large storage basin contains manure. A variety of cover crops provide soil protection and additional forage.

As a Stearns SWCD supervisor, Gregory helped introduce other farmers to the certification program, including Dave and Jayne Lochen, whose Shore Acres Farm also includes Mill Creek and Pearl Lake shoreline. Recently, Gregory joined Dept. of Agriculture officials at the presentation of certification to the Lochens. A video of the event is available here: https://youtu.be/g4umSinbiXM

As of spring 2017, certified farms have added 691 new conservation practices keeping more than 14.6 million pounds of sediment out of rivers while saving nearly 20.3 million pounds of soil and 8,744 pounds of phosphorus on farms each year.

After being certified, each farm is considered in compliance with new water quality laws and regulations for 10 years. Certification is also an approved practice farmers can use to comply with the state buffer law. To get started contact your local SWCD office. More information is available on Dept. of Agriculture Water Quality Certification webpage: www.mylandmylegacy.com.

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The Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture (MDA) reminds farmers that there are many types of grants and low interest loans available for farm improvements or expansions. Details and information on how to apply are found on the Financial Assistance Program webpage. A variety of loans and grants are listed in the financial assistance booklet:

Grants:

• Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program Financial Assistance
• Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration.
• Livestock Investment
• Dairy Business Planning

Low interest Loans: 

• Ag Improvement
• Ag Best Management Practice
• Methane Digester

MDA Value Added Grant applications available in July

The next round of applications for Value Added Grants from MDA will be available in mid-July, with applications due mid-September. The website with be updated in mid-July with specific dates and the new application form. Up to $1 million is expected for grants for equipment purchases or physical improvements through the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Program. In previous Value Added AGRI Grant rounds, a variety of businesses have received funding, including meat processors, creameries, wineries, processing facilities, farm co-ops, and food and feed manufacturers. Go online for more information about the Value Added Grant Program and to apply, or contact  Ann Kuzj at 651-201-6028 or ann.kuzj@state.mn.us. Grant line: 651-201-6500.

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Agricultural stakeholders, food companies and environmental partners recently launched the Midwest Row Crop Collaborative to support farmers and strengthen conservation in Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska. Leading food and agriculture supply chain companies and conservation organizations have formed an “end-to-end” partnership to help farmers improve the health of their soil and protect water quality. Founding members Include Cargill, Environmental Defense Fund, General Mills, Kellogg Company, Monsanto, PepsiCo, The Nature Conservancy, Walmart and the World Wildlife Fund. The MRCC has adopted the same reduction goals as the Hypoxia Task Force, with an interim target of 20 percent nutrient (primarily nitrogen and phosphorus) reduction by 2025 and a 45 percent nutrient reduction goal by 2035. - Nonpoint Source News-Notes, May 2017.

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