Green Lands Blue Waters on LinkedIn: Grassland and managed grazing policy review (2024)

Recent reporting surrounding the idea of bringing IRA dollars into the Farm Bill lacks a key point-- farm-related conservation resources in the IRA are unlikely to benefit all farmers if brought into the Farm Bill without changes. Our new report details how moving IRA resources into the 2023 Farm Bill and broadening the eligibility criteria to include other resource needs that reflect local demand, Congress can create permanent baseline and provide additional resources to address the conservation needs of all farmers and ranchers.https://lnkd.in/gSsXGw4k

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Conservation of #forestlands as a preservation tool is so #Smart. USDA's Conservation Reserve Program Pays More Than $1.77 Billion to America's Producers in Support of Conservation and Climate-Smart Agriculture https://lnkd.in/g42gFTaS

Conservation of #forestlands as a preservation tool is so #Smart. USDA's Conservation Reserve Program Pays More Than $1.77 Billion to America's Producers in Support of Conservation and Climate-Smart Agriculture https://lnkd.in/gG-UDwAt

#Ditchesare an often overlooked opportunity that that hold immense potential as an innovative way to support diverse natural habitats within our productive farmlands, especially in mono-cropping operations. Especially bountiful when coupled with hedgerows and shelter. #pollinatorbelts.During the late 1800s, farmers in the Upper Midwest began constructing extensive networks of drainage ditches to enable the cultivation of previously waterlogged lands. This practice of agricultural drainage has continued to this day, transforming landscapes and unlocking the productive potential of the soil. Ditches are now a ubiquitous part of farms. They serve a crucial function in removing excess water, improving field conditions, serving as a "pre-riparian" buffer and an ecological base for numerous organisms that enhance environmental conservation.I have never visited Nebraska and really only know two things about the Cornhusker state:🏈 Clemson beat Nebraska to claim its first National Football Championship in 1981 🙂 and🐮 Animal production composes over half of its agriculture output while 98% of the remaining product is comprised of mono-cropped corn, soybeans and wheat.It would seem that it would be a State that would cry out for more biodiversity 🐞 !But no, according to a recent article in The Nebraska Examiner, Paul Hammel reports that there is a bill in the Nebraska legislature that would exempt roadside ditches and other highway right-of-ways from state laws protecting endangered species. Classic example of greed over conservation. Please read the short article and share your thoughts.Your vote matters!https://lnkd.in/eYnSkaVC#AllAgConsidered#Education #Biodiversity #RegenerativeAgriculture #Water #Conservation

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🌱 Discover the latest insights from a recent #PRI study that sheds light on Illinois farmers' commitment to land stewardship and #conservation practices.Surveying over 900 landowners, researchers found that farmers see themselves as guardians of the land, prioritizing conservation alongside profits. Even without financial incentives, nearly half expressed a willingness to implement conservation methods, emphasizing a strong ethical connection to their role in preserving soil health and mitigating runoff.Published in Society & Natural Resources, the study challenges stereotypes of profit-driven agriculture, revealing a profound sense of responsibility among farmers for the broader community and environmental well-being.Join the conversation on sustainable land management and the critical role of farmers in safeguarding our ecosystems. Read the full article here: https://loom.ly/pRaNnqI#landstewardship #researchnews

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SELC Senior Attorney George Nolan’s agrarian upbringing has shaped his environmental worldview. “Farmers are dependent on nature to produce products, feed people, and make a living, and so I’ve always thought that farmers and conservationists should be on the same team.” Learn more about George for #NationalFarmersDay: https://lnkd.in/dYYuvnDY

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Thinking of a Conservation Easem*nt?This clarifies many of the misunderstandings about them.Please read.

FARMERS & RANCHERS: NOW IS THE TIME TO SIGN UP FOR CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAMSLand conservation and remediation havenever been more important to American agriculture. Mid- and long-term projected demand for grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat produced in the United States remains strong. However, soil depletion has been and continues to be a growing problem. Additional productivity challenges are arising as extraordinary and extreme weather conditions are taking significant tracts of agricultural land offline - in some cases requiring years for recovery.The need to improve sustainability, rely less on soil amendments, and maximize the utility of acreage rendered fallow for whatever reason has never been greater. Fortunately, federal programs exist today that can help farmers and ranchers meet these challenges.The federal government's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provides American farmers and ranchers the opportunity to idle large tracts of environmentally fragile farmland in exchange for an annual rental payment. Enrollment for 2024 started yesterday (March 4th) and runs through March 29th.Offered through USDA’sFarm Service Agency(FSA), CRP gives agricultural producers the resources and support to conserve wildlife habitat while achieving other conservation benefits, including sequestering carbon and improving water quality and soil health.For example, CRP can help producers and landowners establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees. Additionally, the CRP program offers qualifying participants a Climate-Smart Practice Incentive to help increase carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by helping producers and landowners establish trees and permanent grasses, enhance wildlife habitat and restore wetlands. THE CLOCK IS TICKING! CRP enrollment currently is scheduled to close in approximately three weeks. Ag-landowners and producers interested in CRP should contact their localUSDA Service Centerto learn more or to apply for the program before the March 29th deadline. #farmconservation #ranchconservation #CRP #agriculture #agriculturalland #ranchland #agconservation

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The Welsh Government is considering a country-wide ban on artificial grass, following “worrying reports” of the toxicity levels emitted.Climate change minister Julie James confirms she “wants to explore proactively” the possibility of a ban across Wales. #prolandscaper #prolandscapermagazine #plba #news #article #landscapingsector #landscape #landscaper #landscapedesign #landscapegardening #horticulture #economics #horticulturist #sussex #sussexlife #sussexbusiness #artificial #artificialgrass #artifificiallawns #wales #walesgovernment #government

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Awesome news for our endangered freshwater fish! 🐟 Te Hoiere has high freshwater biodiversity values with 14 species of native freshwater fish, including two threatened and seven at-risk species. By installing new culverts, that are buried under the bottom of the creek, the fish can now swim up through them. 🌊"You see quite a few whitebait come through here now," says Murray Frost, "They've got a good path up, but we've got some more culverts we want to replace and we'll try and do at least one or two a year." 🚧The Frosts paid for the digger and additional rocks required for the work and the project paid for the culverts or pipes. Te Hoiere/Pelorus Catchment Restoration Project has already assessed about 150 culverts in the catchment for risk and severity as barriers for native fish to migrate. 🛠️https://lnkd.in/g6Pc4y9u#FreshwaterFish #TeHoiere #PelorusCatchment #RestorationProject #Conservation #EnvironmentalProtection

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