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
See Everglades Ag Conservation in Action
If you have ever wanted to see the Florida Everglades up close and personal – here is your chance. The Conservation Technology and Information Center’s 2014 Conservation in Action Tour is exploring the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) October 14-15 to hear the tale of farmers working with the entire ecosystem in mind. CTIC executive director Karen Scanlon says the tour … Read More
Be Part of Nutrient Management Solution
This is the third of a four part series on Nutrient Management sponsored by FS/GROWMARK There are lots of good reasons to be proactive about nutrient management in agriculture, not the least of which is the threat of government regulation and litigation. “If we aren’t part of the solution, regulations and legislation will define agriculture and how we farm,” says … Read More
Hick Chick Chat: Unilever, ADM, and Sustainability
Last month at the 2014 Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa I attended the ADM press conference regarding their involvement with Unilever’s movement to become more sustainable by the year 2020. The common theme was working together to showcase and highlight agriculture and tell the story of the farmer who works the ground to make the best product. ADM sources … 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
Ag Commissioners Oppose WOTUS
State commissioners of agriculture have added their voices to the critics of the proposed “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) rule. At their annual meeting last week, members of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) unanimously called on EPA and US Army Corps of Engineers to withdraw the proposed rule. The action item, submitted by North Dakota Commissioner … Read More
Conservation Grants Announced
At a farm in Moline, Illinois Monday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the award of $15.7 million in Conservation Innovation Grants (CIGs) to 47 organizations in 36 states, funded through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Among the grant recipients, the National Corn Growers Association will receive almost $1 million to promote soil management practices aimed at improving productivity, profitability … Read More
Conservation Easement Program Investments
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Monday that $328 million in conservation funding is being invested to help landowners protect and restore key farmlands, grasslands and wetlands across the nation. The funding is provided through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), which was created in the 2014 Farm Bill to protect critical wetlands and encourage producers to keep lands in farming … Read More