One of the “high”lights of the recent Conservation Technology Information Center tour in Livingston County, Ill., was a demonstration of using a crop duster to seed ground cover on a field still growing corn. Eric Smith with Pontiac Flying Service explained shortly after one of his pilots (in fact, Scott Petersen, the company’s owner/operations manager) flew over the field and … Read More
GROWMARK Shows Good Stewardship on CTIC
The Conservation Technology Information Center tour just completed with a theme of “Community 4 Conservation” this year. Dan Maggart with GROWMARK (pictured to the right, talking to bus load on the tour about what GROWMARK offers in way of agronomic services) explained why his company sees itself as such a good fit as a sponsor for the tour and its … Read More
EPA Says Best Problem Solving Will Occur Locally
During the CTIC Conservation in Action Tour I got this photo of EPA’s Denise Keehner, Director, Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds and Acting Chief Jason Weller, USDA-NRCS. They were attending the CTIC Conservation in Action Tour and met after luncheon remarks by Denise. I spoke with Denise after her remarks and on the subject of inter-agency cooperation she says … Read More
Collaboration to Benefit Agricultural Lands
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and Defense Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Installations and Environment John Conger announced a federal, local and private collaboration that will preserve agricultural lands, assist with military readiness and restore and protect wildlife habitat. Through the Sentinel Landscapes partnership, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Department of the Interior (Interior) and … Read More
The Importance of Conservation
This week I’m attending the Conservation in Action Tour put on by the Conservation Technology Information Center. We’re in Illinois and will be touring farms in the Indian Creek Watershed where CTIC has been partnered with multiple entities in a project since 2010. To kick things off I met our Acting Chief of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Jason … Read More
Conservation in Action Tour Coming Up
The 2013 Conservation in Action Tour will be held July 9-10 in Livingston, Illinois and for those who are interested there are still a few seats left. A pre-tour seminar on July 9 has also been added. Learn more about the tour in the video below. This tour will feature three stops focusing on soil health, nutrient management and drainage … Read More
Full Senate Passes Farm Bill
By a vote of 66 to 27, the full Senate passed its version of a 2013 Farm Bill Monday evening that includes a strong conservation commitment. “The Senate has again passed a deficit-reducing, bipartisan bill that will help our farms, our families, our economy, our environment,” said Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) upon passage of the bill. “This bill saves more … Read More
NRCS Funding for Additional Acres
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is accepting applications from landowners interested in the Wetlands Reserve Program, Grassland Reserve Program and the Conservation Stewardship Progarm. A new round of funding authorizes $255 million to enroll up to 100,000 additional acres into WRP, $47 million to enroll up to 200,000 additional acres into GRP, $175 million in funding for up to 12.6 … Read More
Vilsack on Conservation in Farm Bill
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack supports provisions in the farm bill passed by the Senate Agriculture Committee that ties conservation compliance to crop insurance. “It’s a deal that’s made between taxpayers, farmers and insurance companies,” said Vilsack. “In many cases, we’re paying as taxpayers 50-55-60-63% of the premium. In the past, we also provided a direct payment and as part of … Read More
Conservation Commitment in Senate Farm Bill
The Senate Agriculture Committee voted 15-5 today to approve their version of a 2013 farm bill. “The Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act includes an even stronger commitment to conservation, one borne out of the efforts by environmental and agricultural groups who sat down together to find a way to protect our soil and water resources necessary to keep agriculture … Read More