Growing Returns

California’s new law means more bang for every buck invested in wildlife

By Ann Hayden / Bio / Published: September 28, 2016

The Swainson's hawk was listed as a threatened species in California in 1983 due to loss of habitat and decreased numbers across the state.

The Swainson’s hawk is one of the at-risk species that AB 2087 benefits.

Prudent investors know to keep a few key things in mind. They anticipate the timing of spending priorities, like retirement, and evaluate investment risk accordingly. They might spread resources across funds to meet different objectives. And of course, they look to maximize their return on investment.

Why shouldn’t these same principles apply to investments in our natural resources?

Thanks to a new bill signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown, these principles will now apply to regional conservation investment strategies for wildlife and other resource management activities in California.

AB 2087: A new approach to conservation planning and mitigation

Assembly Bill (AB) 2087 (Levine), will establish voluntary, non-regulatory strategies to help conservationists, local agencies and the state apply core investment principles when planning conservation or mitigation projects.

This legislation comes at a critical time. Expanding development in California has supported a growth in food production, flood protection, transportation and housing, but it has also resulted in various impacts on the environment. The loss and fragmentation of wildlife habitat, in particular, has created a need for the state to restore and maintain at least 600,000 acres for multiple at-risk species in the coming decades. Read More »

Posted in Agriculture / Tagged AB 2087, advance mitigation, agencies, at-risk species, california, central valley habitat exchange, Chinook salmon, conservation credits, conservation finance, development, endangered species, environmental defense fund, giant garter snake, habitat, habitat conservation, habitat exchange, habitat quantification tool, investment, landowners, markets, mitigation, monarch butterfly, Swainson's hawk, working lands | Comments are closed

Farmers are helping to heal the Chesapeake Bay, but they can’t do it alone

By Callie Eideberg / Bio / Published: September 22, 2016

Callie Eideberg, EDF’s new senior policy manager for sustainable agriculture.

We often hear about the deep-rooted water quality challenges in the Chesapeake Bay, and how not enough progress is being made. While agriculture, urban/suburban runoff, vehicle emissions, and other sources share responsibility for the bay’s poor health, all too often farmers shoulder most of the blame.

Earlier this month, USDA released the Chesapeake Bay Progress Report, which revealed that since 2009, federal investments helped area farmers implement nearly $1 billion worth of conservation practices on more than 3.5 million acres and install nearly 3,500 miles of riparian buffers that reduce nutrient runoff into waterways. Between 2006 and 2011, farmer efforts reduced sediment loss by 15.1 million tons per year.

This is encouraging news, and part of the reason the overall health of the bay is improving. Supporting farmers and their livelihoods is key to solving the watershed’s environmental challenges. As the report notes, “a thriving and sustainable agricultural sector is critical to restoring the bay.”

There is still a lot of work to do. Because a significant increase in public funding is unlikely, relying too heavily on federal investment in voluntary conservation programs is not a good pathway to fully heal the bay.

Here are two ways that agriculture can further accelerate improvements in the watershed. Read More »

Posted in Agriculture / Tagged agriculture, Campbell Soup, Chesapeake Bay, conservation, farm bill, farmers, farming, Kellogg, Land O'Lakes, NRCS, nutrient loading, Smithfield, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Unilever, USDA, Walmart, water quality | Read 1 Response

As winter approaches, monarch caterpillars fuel up on a Minnesota farm

By David Wolfe / Bio / Published: September 19, 2016

Kristin Duncanson shows me monarch caterpillar we found on her farm. “Everyone has a monarch story," she said.

Kristin Duncanson holds a monarch caterpillar we found on her farm. “Everyone has a monarch story,” she said.

Duncanson Growers is a family farm located in the heart of southern Minnesota. Owners Kristin and Pat Duncanson produce pork and grow corn, soybeans and vegetable peas on the farm, with a commitment to sustainable practices that improve the quality of their land. But it’s not just about environmental sustainability.

“We also need to maintain and increase our productivity to be economically sustainable,” Kristin said.

The Duncanson family has been committed to sustainability not only through their own farming operations, but also through outreach and education efforts. I recently paid a visit to the family’s farm, where just the night before they had hosted 30 college students for dinner, recognizing the importance of communicating their sustainability practices to others.

In addition to their current practices, which include improving data collection to increase fertilizer efficiency, reducing tillage where possible and rotating crops, the Duncansons have also maintained some very high quality habitat for monarch caterpillars and butterflies. Read More »

Posted in Agriculture / Tagged conservation, duncanson growers, EDF, farmers, habitat exchange, habitat quantification tool, Karen Oberhauser, Kristin Weeks Duncanson, Midwest, milkweed, Minnesota, monarch butterfly, Monarch Lab, ranchers, University of Minnesota | Comments are closed

Why Kansas farmer Justin Knopf strives to emulate the native prairie

By Suzy Friedman / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: September 15, 2016

I first met Justin Knopf at a meeting in DC about five years ago. At 6’3”, he definitely stood out, but not just physically. He openly conveyed how important his family and his land are – the reason he cares so much about making sure his Kansas farming operation can live on is for his children. It’s rare to meet someone so articulate, sincere and committed to sustainability.

Over the years, I have become more and more impressed by Justin, who started farming at age 14 when his father gave him the means to rent land and buy seed and fertilizer.

Fast forward to today, and Justin is one of the country’s champions of no-till farming – a practice that has boosted his yields and made his crops more resilient to the effects of extreme weather. His dedication and success caught the attention of Miriam Horn, author of the new book Rancher, Farmer, Fisherman: Conservation Heroes of the American Heartland.

Rancher, Farmer, Fisherman tells the stories of five individuals in the enormous Mississippi River watershed (Justin included) who are embracing sustainability and defying stereotypes. I asked Justin about the book, his beliefs on sustainability and what’s next for no till. Read More »

Posted in Agriculture / Tagged agricultural sustainability, agriculture, biological system, biology, climate change, conservation, cover crop, cover cropping no-till, cover crops, environment, environmental defense fund, farmer, farmers, farming, heartland, Justin Knopf, kansas, land, land stewardship, Midwest, Mississippi River, natural resources, no-till, Rancher Farmer Fisherman, resilience, resiliency, soil conservation, soil erosion, soil health, soil management, stewardship, sustainability, water, watershed | Comments are closed

How ag retailers are helping improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay

By Katie Anderson / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: September 7, 2016

Farmers in front of a tractor Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN® platform – a powerful tool that can make a real impact in improving regional water quality — is coming to the Chesapeake Bay.

The Mill®, a large agricultural retail company, today became the first business in the area to utilize SUSTAIN in Maryland and Pennsylvania. SUSTAIN provides ag retailers with tools and training in best practices for fertilizer efficiency and soil health – such as cover crops and precision ag technologies – while maintaining the potential for high yields. Retail staff then bring this knowledge to the farmers they serve, meaning that one retail location can reach hundreds of farmers.

That’s why the platform, co-developed by Environmental Defense Fund, is taking off. Thus far, 27 ag retailers across the country have been trained, and food companies such as Smithfield Foods, Campbell’s Soup, Unilever, and Kellogg are connecting to the SUSTAIN platform as a way to meet their corporate sustainability goals.

I asked Ben Hushon, owner of The Mill, to tell me what this means for the Bay, for his company, and for farmers. Read More »

Also posted in Coasts and Watersheds / Tagged ag retail, agriculture, agronomists, agronomy, Campbell's Soup, Chesapeake Bay, farmers, fertilizer efficiency, growers, Kellogg's, Land O' Lakes, Land O'Lakes, Maryland, Midwest, Pennsylvania, row crops, Smithfield Foods, soil health, SUSTAIN, Unilever, water quality | Comments are closed

These heartland conservation heroes defy stereotypes

By David Festa / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: September 6, 2016

Montana rancher Dusty Crary with his horses.

Western ranchers, Midwestern commodity crop growers, fishermen who make their livelihoods along the Mississippi River and the Gulf Coast. In some circles, these folks wouldn’t necessarily be considered models of sustainability. And yet, many are leading a quiet revolution in the way our food is raised, harvested and produced.

In her new book Rancher Farmer Fisherman: Conservation Heroes of the Heartland, my colleague Miriam Horn journeys down the Mighty Mississippi River System to meet five representatives of this unsung stewardship movement: Read More »

Posted in Agriculture / Tagged agricultural sustainability, American value, bipartisan, cattlemen, Climate, climate change, conservation, conservationist, conservative, cover crops, democracy, environmental defense fund, farmer, farming, fertilizer efficiency, fertilizer management, fisherman, Gulf of Mexico, hunters, hunting, kansas, land manager, Louisiana, Mississippi River, Montana, no-till, nutrient efficiency, nutrient management, progressive, rancher, ranching, red state, stewardship | Read 1 Response

A coalition of uncommon bedfellows is bringing sustainable agriculture to scale

By Suzy Friedman / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: August 31, 2016

Farmers in field Today represents a huge advancement for sustainable agriculture, and a new era of food company collaboration. At the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, we are officially launching the Midwest Row Crop Collaborative (MRCC): a diverse coalition working to expand on-the-ground solutions to protect air and water quality, enhance soil health, and maintain high yields throughout the Upper Mississippi River Basin.

Founding members of the MRCC include Cargill, Environmental Defense Fund, General Mills, Kellogg Company, Monsanto, PepsiCo, The Nature Conservancy, Walmart, and World Wildlife Fund. The coalition will work directly with growers to help foster continuous improvement and implement conservation activities across three pilot states responsible for 44 percent of corn, soy, and wheat production in the United States: Illinois, Nebraska, and Iowa. Read More »

Posted in Agriculture / Tagged Ag Retailers Association, Agricultural Retailers Association, ARA, Campbell's, Cargill, cattle, corn, cotton, crop yields, Farm Progress, farmers, Field to Market, General Mills, Illinois, iowa, Kellogg, Mississippi, National Corn Growers Association, Nebraska, Ogallala, Pepsi, RCPP, soil health, Soil Health Partnership, soy, Upper Mississippi River Basin, Walmart, wheat, WWF | Read 2 Responses

Got grasslands? How to get paid for keeping them intact.

By Rebecca Haynes / Twitter profile / Published: August 30, 2016

Heartland Ranch in Colorado. Credit: Nicole Rosmarino

One year ago this month the Climate Action Reserve, the premier carbon offset registry for the North American carbon market, approved the voluntary grasslands protocol: a landmark opportunity for ranchers to get paid for keeping their land as grazing lands, versus converting it to crops.

And now, the protocol is underway. Today, the Reserve officially listed the first two grassland conservation carbon projects– the first step in the process towards generating carbon credits for landowners.

The Southern Plains Land Trust, directed by Nicole Rosmarino, enrolled more than 15,000 acres in Southeastern Colorado in the first two projects. She plans to enroll 7,600 more acres in an additional project in 2017.

Even though ranchers lose the opportunity to convert land for crop production, the protocol provides landowners with a guaranteed revenue source in addition to what they earn ranching on the land. Nicole will work with a project developer to monitor and report on the status of the Southern Plains Land Trust’s grasslands. We expect they’ll start earning credits in early 2017 that can later be sold on the North American carbon market.

Here’s why you can get paid for protecting grasslands, too. Read More »

Posted in Agriculture / Tagged agriculture, carbon market, climate action reserve, climate change, colorado, conservation, croplands, dust bowl, farming, farms, grasslands, grasslands protocol, grazing, grazing lands, Great Plains, ranchers, Southern Plains Land Trust, USDA, USDA NRCS | Comments are closed

What would it take for a Nebraska corn farmer to grow milkweed for monarch butterflies?

By David Wolfe / Bio / Published: August 25, 2016

EDF is working to develop the Monarch Butterfly Habitat Exchange to engage the agricultural community in the fight against extinction.

Virtually every farmer and rancher in America has room for conservation on their land. But deciding whether or not to enroll acres in a conservation program requires just as much business sense as deciding which crops to grow on other acres. It’s a matter of cost and return on investment.

My team and I traveled to Nebraska earlier this month to meet with a few corn and soybean farmers to get a sense of what the costs and benefits might be of dedicating some acres – namely marginal lands with low crop productivity, as well as roadsides and field edges – to growing milkweed habitat for the monarch butterfly. What we found was that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Read More »

Posted in Agriculture / Tagged agriculture, conservation, corn farming, environmental defense fund, habitat exchange, monarch butterfly, Nebraska, NRCS, Pheasants Forever, USDA, wetlands reserve program, wildlife | Read 3 Responses

California’s new nitrogen assessment highlights promising solutions for reducing fertilizer losses

By Sara Kroopf / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: August 23, 2016

Sara Kroopf A team of researchers spent seven years dissecting, analyzing and reporting on California’s nitrogen cycle, and the results are eye-opening.

Nearly 2 million tons of nitrogen are imported into the state each year. Almost a quarter of it is lost through leaching into groundwater – with runoff from cropland accounting for nearly 90 percent of this leaching. Excess nitrates in drinking water can cause health problems when consumed by at risk populations. Four percent of the state’s nitrogen is lost to the atmosphere as nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

But the California Nitrogen Assessment (CNA), released by UC Davis’ Agriculture Sustainability Institute, also provides a never before seen level of detail on nitrogen movement in the state. There’s no silver bullet for reducing environmental impacts while keeping growers profitable. Yet information is power and the more we know, the more we can tailor and prioritize solutions.

The UC Davis team investigated various political, social and economic ideas for reestablishing our state’s nitrogen balance. Two of the most promising solutions for California agriculture to address what the CNA calls “critical control points” include enhancing fertilizer efficiency and expanding carbon markets for agriculture. Read More »

Posted in Agriculture / Tagged agriculture, Almond Board, almonds, california, California Air Resources Board, Carbon Offsets, climate change, crop advisors, environmental defense fund, farmers, farms, GHG mitigation, growers, nitrogen, nitrous oxide, SARE, UC Davis | Comments are closed