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Wisconsin Farmers Take The Initiative On Water Conservation

DATCP Awards New Grant Money To Watershed Protection Projects

By
AgriLife Today (CC-BY-NC-ND)

Farmers across Wisconsin have formed their own watershed protection projects, thanks to new grants from the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

This is the first year the state offered funding to producer-led initiatives for soil and water conservation. DATCP awarded almost $250,000 to a total of 14 projects.

Nine of the grant recipients formed specifically to apply for the grants. Kellen Nelson, Coordinator for the Buffalo-Trempealeau Farmer Network – Elk Creek Watershed, said providing funding removes a barrier for farmers who are already interested in conservation efforts.

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“It starts to mean more for each producer when the data is your own, your own fields, your own crops, nutrient practices,” Nelson said.

The Elk Creek Watershed initiative received $17,700 from DATCP to start a nutrient-use efficiency program and connect farmers to nitrogen experts.

Nelson said farmers are always thinking about how to maintain the precious topsoil on their fields.

“Probably the most important thing we can do is conserve our soil,” Nelson said. “It takes millions of years to create the topsoil that we have so whatever we can do to maintain it, encourage improvement, facilitate better drainage, and things of that nature are crucial for us to do.”

Donna Gilson, Spokesperson for DATCP, said it makes sense for Wisconsin farmers to be motivated to protect the resources they use both in business and as residents.

“Farmers, like most people, they want to do the right thing,” Gilson said. “As long as it’s something that they can afford to do and that is practical for them to do, they’ll do it.”

Gilson said producer-led conservation initiatives are often more successful because other farmers in the region will listen to their neighbors and be motivated to do their part. She said DATCP hopes to continue the grant program in the future and inspire more farmers to start their own projects.