Pope Soil & Water

Providing Quality Conservation Resources since 1949

Providing Quality Conservation Resources Since 1949

Governor Dayton Pursues $795 Million in Funding for Clean Water, Wildlife Habitat

Plan would partner with landowners to enroll up to 100,000 acres in water quality conservation efforts

ST. PAUL, MN – Continuing his work to improve water quality and wildlife habitat, Governor Mark Dayton today submitted a $795 million proposal to the United States Department of Agriculture for a Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) for Minnesota. This federal, state and local partnership would work with farmers and other landowners across Minnesota to implement conservation practices on up to 100,000 acres of land to restore and protect water quality. Funding provided through CREP would provide additional financial support for farmers and landowners as Minnesota works to implement bipartisan buffer legislation enacted last session.

“This CREP funding would help tremendously, as Minnesotans work together to be even better stewards of our land and water,” said Governor Dayton. “We have begun to reverse the serious deterioration in the quality of water in parts of our state. But much more remains to be done. This is everyone’s challenge and everyone’s responsibility.”

The proposal submitted today focuses on prioritized and targeted acres that would provide the greatest water quality and habitat benefits. It would fund the implementation of buffer filter strips, wetland restoration projects, and wellhead protection efforts. The CREP proposal is  a five-agency effort, led by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) and including the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

“Minnesota has a plan to improve water quality and enhance habitat, backed by sound science and local Soil and Water Conservation District readiness,” BWSR Executive Director John Jaschke said.  “This CREP would get Minnesota closer to its natural resource goals.”

State support is already building for Minnesota’s CREP proposal. Bipartisan support at the Legislature yielded $35 million last session for conservation efforts, which will provide part of the required state contribution necessary to leverage federal CREP dollars. The Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council has also recommended the Legislature approve $20 million in Outdoor Heritage Fund in the upcoming session. Additional state matching funds will be considered by the Legislature in the upcoming session.

About the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is an offshoot of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the country’s largest private-land conservation program. Administered by the USDA-Farm Service Agency (FSA), CREP targets high-priority conservation issues identified by local, state, or tribal governments or non-governmental organizations. The proposed federal, state and local partnership would voluntarily retire environmentally sensitive land using the nationally-recognized ReInvest in Minnesota (RIM) Reserve program. This is accomplished by establishing conservation practices via payments to farmers, ranchers, and agricultural land owners.

Dorrich Dairy Named 2015 Outstanding Conservationist for Pope County & Area Finalist for state Award

1511MNWaterQualityFarmThe Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (MASWCD) has named Dorrich Dairy, Glenwood, Minnesota as one of eight Area Finalists in the 2015 Outstanding Conservationist Award Program. Dorrich Dairy will be recognized at a Dec. 8 luncheon at MASWCD’s 79th annual convention in Bloomington. The awards program recognizes farm families, individuals, conservation organizations, and other groups for their accomplishments in implementing conservation practices and improving Minnesota’s natural resources.

Of the eight finalists, one will be announced as the State’s Outstanding Conservationist of the Year at the Dec. 8 luncheon.

“We’re proud of Dorrich Dairy and the Vold Family for what they’ve done in conserving the natural resources in our area,” said Tom Talle supervisor of the Pope Soil and Water Conservation District, which nominated Dorrich Dairy and the Vold Family for the awar1511DorrichDairyd. “It’s great to be able to recognize the work they’ve done locally. They’ve provided a wonderful example for us by implementing buffers, no-till, pest and nutrient management, wildlife practices, water reuse, cover crops, and much more,” he said. They are also very active in the community and provide education an outreach to the community to share their expertise about agriculture. Dorrich Dairy was also just recently recognized as the first operation certified in Pope County through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture Ag Certainty program.

MASWCD sponsors the Outstanding Conservationist Award Program, with support from The Farmer magazine.

PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING FOR THE NORTH FORK CROW RIVER WATERSHED ONE WATERSHED ONE PLAN – What Matters to You??

Download Postcard | The purpose of this meeting is to present the North Fork Crow River Watershed One Watershed One Plan (1W1P) process and to gather information on local water management priorities. The 1W1P will affect water management within 13 local units of government. A planning work-group consisting of affected local units of government was created in early 2015 to structure and initiate the planning process. Your organization has been identified as a “local stakeholder” for this planning process. The meeting will be held on Monday, November 2, 2015 at 4:30 PM at the Wright County Courthouse, 10 2nd St NW, Buffalo MN 55313. Please join us in-person and/or online for a public meeting and Q&A session.

Access the meeting via live web stream visit co.wright.mn.us/AgendaCenter.

Can’t make it the day of the meeting, a recording will be posted and questions can be sent within 21 days following the meeting date to diane.sander@mn.nacdnet.net . Additional details regarding the North Fork 1W1P can be found on the Crow River Organization of Water’s website: www.crowriver.org

Intern Hired to Help Control Invasive Weeds

1505JessicaOldakowskiJessica Oldakowski, a 2014 Biology graduate from the University of Minnesota, Morris was recently hired as the Cooperative Weed Management (CWMA) Intern for the Pope Soil and Water Conservation District. She grew up on a dairy farm north of St. Cloud Minnesota and has remained interested in agriculture and the outdoors. Over the last couple of years Jessica was employed with the USDA Soil Lab in Morris working on a Pollination Project. At Ag Reliant Genetics, she was a harvest intern and assisted in corn production line work. She enjoys working with plants, animals, and oilseed crops. A few of her hobbies include being outdoors, hunting, fishing, crafts, and playing tennis.
Jessica will continue the work under the Cooperative Weed Management program including education, documentation of infested sites, treatments, and re-seeding with local native seed. Our main goal with this program is to reduce the environmental and economic threats posed by invasive plant species in the grasslands of Pope and Swift Counties. Education and raising awareness of the significance of these threats is key to achieving our goal.
The CWMA partners are: MnDot, Pope County Highway Department, Pope County Land and Resource Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy, Department of Natural Resources, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency, University of Minnesota Extension Service, and the Pope and Swift Soil and water Conservation Districts. These partners have established a steering committee and are working together to make this program a success. For more information or to report an infestation contact the CWMA intern Jessica Oldakowski at Jessica.oldakowski@co.pope.mn.us or call 320-634-7793.