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December 2018
The Basin Alliance for the Lower Mississippi in Minnesota (BALMM) will meet Wednesday, Dec. 19, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 18 Wood Lake Drive S.E., in Rochester.
Agenda as follows:
- 9 a.m.: “On farm research in southeast Minnesota: Improving nitrogen management in a karst landscape” – Dawn Bernau, Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture and Greg Klinger, University of Minnesota Extension
- 10:30 a.m.: Break
- 10:45 a.m.: “Meet U of M Extension’s Regional Sustainable Development Partnership (RSDP)”– Okey Ukaga and Beth Kallestad, University of Minnesota Extension
- Noon: Adjourn
How do University of Minnesota nitrogen recommendations work in on-farm trials? From 2015 to 2017, farmers and agronomists from across southeastern Minnesota collaborated with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, University of Minnesota Extension, and Southeast SWCD Technical Support Joint Powers Board to install nitrogen management trials on approximately 150 farm fields. These trials examined whether corn yields and water quality could be sustained or improved by altering nitrogen fertilizer rate or timing, or by using a nitrogen-stabilizing product. After 3 years of trials, interesting results have emerged on the effect of nitrogen management, weather, and soils on water quality and corn yields. Greg Klinger from the University of Minnesota Extension and Dawn Bernau from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture will discuss these results at the Dec. 19 BALMM meeting.
At the Dec. 19 BALMM meeting, Okey Ukaga, executive director, and Beth Kallestad, board member, of the Southeast Regional Sustainable Development Partnership (RSDP) will provide a short presentation about:
- What is the RSDP
- Focus areas of agriculture and food systems, clean energy, natural resources and resilient communities
- Funding projects
- Opportunities to participate in focus area work groups and the board
The Extension's RSDP connects Greater Minnesota communities to the University of Minnesota to support local sustainability projects. RSDP brings together community and University knowledge and resources to drive sustainability in four focus areas: agriculture and food systems, clean energy, natural resources, and resilient communities. This program supports local projects through five regional boards made up of community members and university faculty and staff. RSDP also supports multi-region food systems and clean energy work across Greater Minnesota.
Up to $20 million in loans with 0% interest is available for local partners to address non-point source pollution through the Clean Water Partnership program.
 Eligible projects include:
- Urban green infrastructure such as rain water reuse, green roofs, porous pavement, or any stormwater best management practice (BMP)
- Buffers: purchase of native seeds and vegetation
- Septic system upgrades and replacements
- Technical assistance, outreach, and education
- Equipment such as conservation tillage equipment
- Any nonpoint source BMP
- Feedlot upgrades and replacement
Project sponsors can use the loans to implement projects directly or to set up a loan fund for landowners and other stakeholders. Government entities may apply to the MPCA at any time.
See the program webpage for more information, or contact:
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The University of Minnesota Extension and several sponsors are hosting a “Producing for Profit” workshop Dec. 15, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in Winona.
The workshop features Dave Pratt, a range and livestock adviser with the University of California Cooperative Extension Service for 15 years, when he researched cell grazing and strategic issues impacting the sustainability of ranches. Dave and his wife Kathy took over Ranch Management Consultants, and he has been teaching the “Ranching for Profit School” in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia and Africa since 1993. He has also written a book, “Healthy Land, Happy Families, and Profitable Businesses.”
Dave provides insights, advice and practical tools that producers can put to work immediately, namely: 1) Differentiate between deadwood and profit drivers. 2) Eliminate the biggest cost of keeping a cow (hint: it isn’t land, labor or feed). 3) How to fix being wealthy on the balance sheet but broke at the bank. 4) Quickly determine the economic impact of management decisions.
The Dec. 15 workshop will be held at Wilson Fire Hall, 29660 County Road 12, Winona MN 55987. Registration: $45, including lunch, and $15 for students with student ID. RSVP to wolfx006@umn.edu. Walk-ins welcome.
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