Minnesota Division

OUR IZAAK WALTON LEAGUE S REGENERATIVE FARMING EDUCATION AND IMPLEMENTATION INITIATIVE IS A MULTI YEAR PROJECT 2022 2024 TO PROMOTE FARMING SYSTEMS THAT REGENERATE SOIL HEALTH REGENERATIVE FARMING STARTING IN TARGETED MINNESOTA COUNTIES IN THE MINNESOTA RIVER WATERSHED AND TO DEVELOP A COMMUNITY OF FARMERS WORKING COOPERATIVELY TO IMPLEMENT REGENERATIVE FARMING SYSTEMS AND PRACTICES ALL OF THE STREAMS IN THIS WATERSHED EVENTUALLY FLOW INTO THE MINNESOTA RIVER IMPAIRMENTS VARY FROM STREAM TO STREAM, BUT INCLUDE NUTRIENTS, TURBIDITY, AND E COLI BACTERIA, ALONG WITH IMPAIRED FISH AND BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATE BIO ASSESSMENTS PRIMARY BARRIERS TO WIDESPREAD ADOPTION INCLUDE A LACK OF IN DEPTH UNDERSTANDING OF SOIL HEALTH PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES AMONG FARMERS AND LENDERS, LIMITED LOCAL EXPERIENCE WITH PRACTICES LIKE COVER CROPS AND DIVERSE CROP ROTATIONS, THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT REQUIRED, AND RESISTANCE BY AGRICULTURE SERVICE PROVIDERS CHEMICAL AND SEED DEALERS THAT MAY HAVE A FINANCIAL STAKE IN SELLING INPUTS TO FARMERS EARLY ADOPTERS FACE STRONG SOCIAL PRESSURE FROM THEIR PEERS AND OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY THE PAYBACK PERIOD FOR INVESTMENTS OF TIME AND MONEY IN SOIL HEALTH, TYPICALLY AT LEAST 2 3 YEARS, EXCEEDS TYPICAL 1 YEAR AG LAND LEASE TERM AND GREATLY COMPLICATES ADOPTION ON THE HALF OR MORE OF CROPLAND LEASED TO RATHER THAN OWNED BY THE PERSON FARMING IT IN 2022 OUR APPROACH WILL BE TO FORM AND PROVIDE INTENSIVE TRAINING TO CADRE OF 20 30 FARMERS, WHO COLLECTIVELY MANAGE PERHAPS 8,000 20,000 ACRES AND ARE LEARNING AND IMPLEMENTING REGENERATIVE PRACTICES THAT PUT SOIL HEALTH AT THE CENTER OF THEIR OPERATIONS BY DOING THAT WE WILL OVERCOME MANY OF THE KEY CHALLENGES WE FACE IN THE WIDESPREAD ADOPTION OF REGENERATIVE FARMING PRACTICES AND PROVIDE A HOST OF OTHER BENEFITS THIS INITIATIVE REFLECTS AN INTEGRATED, FOCUSED STRATEGY TO ADDRESS AND OVERCOME BARRIERS TO WIDESPREAD CHANGE BY DEVELOPING, TRAINING, AND SUPPORTING A CADRE OF FARMERS WORKING TOGETHER TO ADOPT AND ADAPT REGENERATIVE FARMING SYSTEMS IN MINNESOTA IN 2023 2024 OUR GOAL WITH THIS INITIATIVE IS TO MOVE THE NEEDLE IN DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN CONSERVATIONISTS AND FARMERS FROM A FOCUS ON WHAT DIVIDES US TO FOCUS ON COLLABORATION, INVESTIGATING STRATEGIES THAT EMPHASIZE PROBLEM SOLVING AND THAT BRING US TOGETHER OVER TIME WE WILL TRACK A NUMBER OF QUANTITATIVE METRICS WHICH WILL HELP US EVALUATE OUR PROGRESS, INCLUDING DIRECT CONTACTS WITH FARMERS INCLUDING MAILINGS, EMAILS, AND CALLS DIRECT CONTACTS WITH NON OPERATING LANDOWNERS, INCLUDING MAILINGS, EMAILS, AND CALLS ATTENDANCE AT OUR FORUMS, WORKSHOPS, AND FARM TOURS, BASED ON SIGN UP SHEETS AND HEAD COUNTS NUMBER OF FARMERS WHO AGREE TO JOIN OUR COHORT TOTAL ACRES OF LAND UNDER MANAGEMENT BY OUR COHORT MEMBERS, AS REPORTED BY THEM ACRES OF THAT LAND ON WHICH REGENERATIVE PRACTICES ARE APPLIED, AS REPORTED BY COHORT MEMBERS TYPES OF PRACTICES APPLIED E G NO TILL, COVER CROPS, ROTATIONAL GRAZING AS REPORTED BY COHORT MEMBERS NUMBER OF FARMERS WHO COMPLETE THE FIRST AND SECOND YEARS OF EDUCATION AND COOPERATION, BASED ON ATTENDANCE AT WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS AND PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION SHARING WE WILL ALSO ASK COHORT PARTICIPANTS AND ATTENDEES AT OUR FORUMS AND OTHER EVENTS TO PROVIDE QUALITATIVE INPUT THROUGH SURVEYS THAT WILL HELP US ADAPT AND IMPROVE OUR OUTREACH, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING WE WILL OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM EACH PARTICIPATING FARMER ON THEIR USE OF AND ACRES IN KEY REGENERATIVE FARMING PRACTICES E G TILLAGE, COVER CROPS, DIVERSE CROP ROTATION, INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT, ROTATIONAL GRAZING IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND EACH YEAR OF THE INITIATIVE, TO TRACK THE CHANGES THAT RESULT