Clean Water GrowsSoil and Water Conservation Society

Lara Bryant, National Wildlife FederationJuly 28, 2014

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Agenda

• Cover crops and water• Status of cover crop adoption• Strategies to increase adoption• Examples of ag and water partnerships from Clean Water

Grows

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It costs $4.8 billion annually to remove nitrates from drinking water, $1.7 billion from ag runoff.

3USGS

How do cover crops improve water quality?

Reduce sediment runoff– N and P loading

Reduce nitrate leaching

Reduce need for fertilizer, chemical inputs

Mustard. Allegan Conservation District

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And by how much…?

Every 1% increase in soil organic matter can increase soil water storage by 16,000 gallons – NCAT

Winter rye cover reduced nitrate loss in tile drainage system by 43% - Kaspar, 2014

Cover crops reduce phosphorus pollution by 50% - Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy

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Goal = 20 million acres by 2020

10.3 million acres of cover crops = 2.6% of cropland

911k, 3%

596K, 4.7%

328K, 23%

70K, 16%

Why don’t more farmers use cover crops?

Fact: Change takes time and costs moneyMyth: Cover crops won’t work in my region…Myth: Cover crops won’t work in my cropping system…Fact: Cover crops can work almost anywhere with proper

management, but there is a learning curve.

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Roadmap to Increased Adoption

• Support the champions• Address policy barriers• Advance cover crop

research• Improve technology and

equipment availability• Develop a unified and

compelling message

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Cover Crop Champions

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Clean Water Grows Case Studieswww.nwf.org/cleanwatergrows

Yahara Watershed, Wisconsin

Adaptive management– 4 year project– Common fund

Yahara Pride Farms– Farmer led board– 422 acres, Dane

County– Goal: 3100 lbs of P – Cost $40/lb

Wisconsin: 553K, 6%Clean Lakes Alliance

Miami River Conservancy District, Ohio

Nutrient trading program– EPA and USDA funding

Cost of POTW upgrades = $422 million

Conservation practices = $50 million– 572 tons of nutrient

reductions – $0.36-2.00/lb of P

Ohio: 357K, 3% Daniel Johnson Jr., flickr

Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy

Iowa: 379K, 1.4%

Practice potential– 28% less N– 50% less P

Increase cover crops to 60-95% of acres

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Great Lakes Cover Crop Initiative

Funded through GLRI

Goal: Increase cover crop acreage by 15,000 in 3 years

Achieved: 20,000 cover crop acres in 18 months

Reductions:– 68,000 lbs N

– 22,000 lbs P

– 2,700,000 lbs sediment

Michigan: 437K, 6%

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Indiana

Indiana: 596K, 4.7%– Some estimates show 1

million acresConservation Cropping

Systems Initiative– Mentoring– Field Days

Clean Water Indiana

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Maryland

429,818 acres of cover crops in 2012 (MDA)

60% of eligible acres (MDA)

2012 Census data: 328K, 23%

Reductions:– 2.58 million lbs of N– 86,000 lbs of PMaryland Department of Agriculture (MDA)

Keys to Success

1. Stakeholder involvement2. Easy enrollment3. Adaptive approach/flexibility4. Farmer-to-farmer approach5. Building trust6. Program consistency7. Technical assistance

Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)

Funding opportunityEligible partners - municipal water treatment facilities, water

districts, NGOs, state agencies, higher education, tribes, and agricultural agencies

Critical conservation areas (8), national and statePre-proposal deadline passed, July 14http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/pr

ograms/farmbill/rcpp/

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Let’s get started! Contact bryantl@nwf.org for more info or to start a working group

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Maryland Department of Agriculture