New congress, WOTUS, second beef checkoff, and what to do about COOL were a few of the topics that American Farm Bureau Federation executive director for public policy Dale Moore discusses at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting last week. “We are excited that we have a lot of new leaders – seasoned leaders – coming in,” said Moore of … Read More
Corn Grower President Hosts EPA Staff
The president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) took the Environmental Protection Agency on an educational tour of his farm in southern Maryland on Friday. Chip Bowling hosted nearly a dozen staffers from the EPA as part of a series of meetings between NCGA and the EPA connected to the proposed Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. Bowling was … Read More
Ag, Interior Departments Measure Conservation Water Quality
The USDA and the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced a new partnership agreement that will provide a clearer picture of the benefits of farmers’ conservation practices on the quality of our Nation’s water. Working together, USDA’s NRCS and DOI’s USGS will quantify the benefits of voluntary agricultural practices at a watershed scale. This information will strengthen the effectiveness … Read More
Global Yield Gap Unveiled at Water for Food Conference
Finding of the Global Yield Gap and Water Productivity Atlas were unveiled this week at the sixth annual Water for Food Global Conference. The outcome of a six-year international collaborative research effort led by the Daugherty Water for Food Institute at the University of Nebraska and Wageningen University in the Netherlands, the Atlas is the first transparent, interactive and map-based … Read More
Water Policy in Florida
Florida is the third largest state in terms of population and the 14th in agricultural production, so competition for water resources is fierce in the Sunshine State. “Population growth is a big factor in driving water use demand and that will continue in Florida,” said Richard Budell, who is director of water policy for the Florida Department of Agriculture and … Read More
Controlling Phosphorus in the Everglades
2014 CTIC Conservation in Action Tour Photo Album This may just look like a swamp but it’s actually a very sophisticated stormwater treatment area in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) which is one of several designed to remove phosphorus from urban and agricultural runoff. These public works projects are the second point of cleanup for the water, while the farmers … Read More
NACD Meets With EPA on WOTUS
Representatives of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) met with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials last week to express concerns on behalf of member conservation districts regarding the proposed “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) rule. “We thought is was a very good meeting and we appreciated the opportunity to express some concerns,” said NACD President Earl Garber, a licensed … Read More
Global Water For Food Conference
Mobilizing new data gathering capabilities to improve global water and food security is the subject of the sixth annual Water for Food Global Conference, hosted by the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute at the University of Nebraska in association with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Oct. 19-22 in Seattle, Wash. This year’s conference theme, “Harnessing the Data … Read More
Global Water Event to Unveil Global Yield Gap Report
On October, 20, 2014 at 7:30 am PT, a new crop analysis will be unveiled. The results of the six-year collaborative research project, “The Global Yield Gap and Water Productivity Atlas,” will be shared. The Atlas is designed to help farmers policy makers, foundations and private sector organizations identify regions with the greatest potential to sustainably produce more food with … Read More
Great Lakes Restoration Plan Announced
The Obama administration today announced a new Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Action Plan that outlines steps that federal agencies will take during the next five years to protect water quality, control invasive species and restore habitat in the largest surface fresh water system in the world. “We’re currently engaged in the largest conservation initiative in American history, with more … Read More