Growing Returns

From 15 birds to flagship status: An American conservation movement takes flight

By Eric Holst / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: July 25, 2017

The whooping crane. (Photo credit: grahamvphoto)

Every year for 15 years, a lone ultralight aircraft took to the skies, tailed by a flock of majestic white and red-capped birds. The young, captive-bred whooping cranes followed their surrogate parent on a migration journey from Wisconsin to Florida, where they spent the winter on the warm Gulf Coast.

This was a pioneering project that took place from 2001-2015, run by Operation Migration, an organization dedicated to recovering endangered whooping cranes. But that was just one of many innovative and collaborative conservation efforts that have helped recover whooping cranes since the species’ numbers fell to only 15 birds in the 1940s. Shortly thereafter the North American conservation movement was born. Read More »

Posted in Agriculture / Tagged endangered species, endangered species act success stories, endangered species list, whooping crane, wildlife conservation | Read 1 Response

Dear Congress, protect the integrity of the ESA

By Eric Holst / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: July 20, 2017

The bald eagle was listed as endangered in 1963. It was successfully recovered and delisted by 2007.

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is one of our nation’s bedrock environmental laws, preventing the extinction and helping the recovery of many American icons, including our national symbol – the bald eagle.

The act had the unanimous support of the Senate and a near-unanimous vote in the House when it was signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1973. Today, 90 percent of American voters still support the law and want to see it maintained.

The ESA’s ongoing bipartisan history and continued support from the American public sends a clear message to Congress: Protect the integrity of the ESA. Read More »

Posted in Agriculture / Tagged bald eagle, Congress, endangered species act success stories, governor mead, sage grouse, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, western governors, western governors association | Read 8 Responses

The “dean of endangered species protection” on the past, present and future of America’s wildlife

By Eric Holst / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: July 18, 2017

Michael Bean is a prominent wildlife conservation expert and attorney. He is also the author of The Evolution of National Wildlife Law, a leading text on wildlife conservation law. Many consider Bean “the dean of endangered species protection.”

Few people know more about wildlife conservation in America than Michael Bean. A renowned expert in wildlife policy and programs, Michael is hailed as an innovative thinker who has consistently found effective ways to protect our nation’s endangered species, pioneering techniques like Safe Harbor agreements and Habitat Conservation Plans that have helped many animals at risk of extinction.

Michael started working at EDF in 1977 where he directed our wildlife conservation policy initiatives for several decades, during which I came on board and had the honor of working closely with him. In 2009, Michael went on to join the U.S. Department of the Interior as counselor to the Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and later as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary.

Today, we are fortunate to have Michael back as an advisor to EDF, and to have him share his insights on the current state of our country’s wildlife programs and policies. Read More »

Posted in Agriculture / Tagged bald eagle, black-footed ferret, California condor, endangered species, endangered species act success stories, ESA, Michael Bean, red-cockaded woodpecker, Safe Harbor, Safe Harbor agreements, sea otter, wildlife, wildlife conservation, wildlife law | Comments are closed

3 ways the farm bill can protect croplands from extreme weather

By Suzy Friedman / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: July 12, 2017

Photo Credit: Flickr user Benjamin Disinger (License)

Here’s a statement that everyone can agree on, regardless of politics: Farmers benefit from making their croplands more resilient to the effects of extreme weather.

Report after report, including a study this week in the journal Nature Geoscience, has shown that shifting climatic conditions will hit agriculture hard, threatening food supplies and farmers’ incomes. This week’s report found that in years when the Arctic was warmer than normal, the average decline in yields across the United States was as high as 4 percent – and in Texas, corn yields were as low as 20 percent of what they are in typical years.

Farmers can take steps to protect their operations from extreme weather – but they can’t do it alone.

The 2018 farm bill can and should play a powerful role in helping farmers adapt to changing climatic conditions by prioritizing and supporting public-private partnerships, innovation, and financial models that can accelerate deployment of conservation practices.

Posted in Agriculture / Tagged agriculture, collaborative conservation, Congress, conservation, extreme weather, farm bill, innovation, NRCS, precision agriculture, RCPP, resilience, RMA, USDA | Read 1 Response

Crops, water and habitat: This California farmer’s winning trifecta

By Ann Hayden / Bio / Published: July 6, 2017

Cannon Michael is the president of Bowles Farming Company.

During times of water scarcity, like California’s recent drought, it’s tempting to take on a binary view of the world. This was definitely the case with agriculture, which appeared to be at odds with everyone: farms vs. fish, farm vs. cities, farms vs. regulators. As a dominant water user in the state, they were easy targets.

But when one digs deeper, it’s obvious that many in the agricultural community want to move beyond this debate and do things differently. Yes growing food and fiber takes water, but there are plenty of farmers laser-focused on improving efficiency, maximizing multi-benefit solutions and striking a balance between growing crops and preserving the environment.

I recently visited with Cannon Michael, president of Bowles Farming Company, which oversees an 11,000-acre farm near Los Banos in California’s San Joaquin Valley. He is the great, great, great grandson of Henry Miller, “the Cattle King of California,” so farming is in his blood. He has senior water rights, and while he still had to make difficult management decisions during the drought, he ended up with more water than many of his neighbors and found ways to share it, a tremendous display of collaboration in the farming community. Read More »

Posted in Agriculture, Water / Tagged California agriculture, California drought, central valley habitat exchange, San Joaquin Valley, sustainable groundwater management act, water use | Read 3 Responses

From testing to launch: A new program for monarchs takes flight

By Audrey Archer / Bio / Published: June 30, 2017

Audrey applies the Habitat Quantification Tool to a potential restoration site, counting the number of milkweed and wildflower stems within a transect.

This spring, my colleagues and I visited three ranches in Texas to begin piloting the Monarch Butterfly Habitat Exchange, an emerging program that will help agricultural landowners contribute to monarch recovery.

Elm Ridge Ranch, Wagley Ranch and Shield Ranch will be among the first restoration projects conducted this year to improve ranchlands and create valuable monarch habitat. We will continue to work closely with these landowners to hone the program and ensure it works for monarchs, pollinators and people alike.

Already, we’ve had the opportunity to gain valuable insights, including how to improve habitat quantification and how to inspire enrollment.

Posted in Agriculture / Tagged Elm Ridge Ranch, farms, habitat exchange, habitat quantification tool, milkweed conservation, monarch butterfly, monarch butterfly habitat exchange, monarch butterfly population, pollinators, ranches, Shield Ranch, Texas, Wagley Ranch | Read 3 Responses

3 ways Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods could affect agriculture and the environment

By Maggie Monast / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: June 22, 2017

Photo credit: USDA

The vast majority of the media stories surrounding Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods have focused on how the deal could affect the cost of food, home delivery services, competition in the retail space and our overall shopping experiences.

While it’s still too early to predict what exactly Amazon will do with hundreds of new brick and mortar grocery stores, here are three possible implications for farmers and the land they rely on to grow our food.

1. Demand for organic could skyrocket

As of last month, organic products represented more than 5 percent of all grocery sales in the US – and organics have been one of the strongest areas of growth for many retailers and grocery stores.

Now, with Whole Foods under the Amazon umbrella, that demand could increase exponentially. POLITICO noted that if this happens, “domestic organic acreage isn’t positioned to handle such an expansion.” Read More »

Posted in Agriculture, Food / Tagged agricultural sustainability, consumers, corporate social responsibility, cover crops, farmers, food, food waste, organic, precision agriculture, produce, supply chain sustainability, sustainability, transparency, whole foods | Read 2 Responses

How food companies can turn the pollinator emergency into a big opportunity

By David Wolfe / Bio / Published: June 20, 2017

The rusty patched bumblebee was listed as an endangered species in early 2017. [Photo credit]

Bees, beetles and butterflies are in big trouble.

Pollinators all over the world are experiencing dramatic declines in populations, with about 40 percent of all invertebrate pollinator species facing a very real threat of extinction. Just last October, several species of bees were added to the U.S. Endangered Species List for the first time. Monarch butterfly populations also face the potential threat of a future listing, with populations down by more than 90 percent in recent decades.

These stats are concerning because pollinator health is a strong indicator of an ecosystem’s overall health. Pollinator decline directly correlates with habitat loss, decreased plant diversity, and increased disease in the ecosystem.

This problem cannot be solved by any one sector. Restoration of pollinator habitats will require significant investment and collaboration between both public and private sectors – especially businesses with bottom lines directly tied to pollinator success. Read More »

Posted in Agriculture / Tagged cheerios, monarch butterfly, national pollinator week. environmental defense fund, pollinators, rusty patched bumblebee, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, whole foods, Xerces Society | Read 2 Responses

What does the end of the Paris deal mean for agricultural innovation?

By Suzy Friedman / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: June 15, 2017

Agriculture has faced increasing disruption from extreme weather and climate shifts over the past 40 years.

In the face of an ever-changing climate, agricultural innovation is more important than ever.

No matter your views on climate change, the United States’ exit from the Paris agreement could compromise the ability of farmers and agribusinesses to become more resilient in the face of extreme weather events.

In the absence of federal leadership, individual farmers, state and national ag associations, food companies, retailers, and environmental organizations will need to fill the void.

I’m confident we can do this, because all the farmers I’ve ever known are incredible innovators and are willing to implement practices that can mitigate the effects of an unpredictable climate – practices that also protect their businesses. Read More »

Posted in Agriculture, Food / Tagged agriculture, climate change, conservation, environmental defense fund, farmers, food production, Paris agreement, precision agriculture, USDA | Comments are closed

These farmers sparked agricultural carbon markets across the U.S.

By Robert Parkhurst / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: June 14, 2017

Rice held by Jim Whitaker of Whitaker Farms. Credit: Adam Jahiel.

I want to tell you a story about a handful of growers whose commitment to sustainability and desire to innovate inspired an ag carbon credit movement.

Today, the first ever carbon credits generated from rice farmers were sold to Microsoft, all because of a handful of pioneers who tested out a radical idea – that by implementing conservation methods on their crops, farmers could reduce methane emissions and thereby generate a carbon credit that could be later be sold on the carbon market. Not to mention the fact that these farmers also reduced water use by as much as 30 percent. Read More »

Posted in Agriculture / Tagged arkansas, california, carbon credits, CIG grant, conservation finance, conservation innovation grant, grasslands protocol, Microsoft, Natural Resources Conservation Service, nitrogen fertilizer management protocol, rice, rice protocol, united states department of agriculture, USDA, USDA NRCS | Comments are closed