The U.S. Department of Agriculture is extending the Conservation Reserve Program general signup period, which was to have ended Feb. 12. USDA will continue to accept offers as it takes this opportunity for the incoming administration to evaluate.
Five Island Lake Assoc.
By Staff | Feb 23, 2021
A watershed is an area of land where all water drains into a central point like a lake, river or stream. The saying, water takes the path of least resistance, is appropriate in terms of a watershed. Every drop of rain passes over the watershed before it reaches the lake.
Five Island Lake’s watershed consists of 7,657 acres. The health of the lake is due to the management of this land. Management helps to control erosion, excess phosphorus and sediment – all factors in maintaining and sustaining the lake’s water quality.
In a recent article in the Farm Bureau Spokesman, a Palo Alto County farm was featured because of 10 acres transformed into a shallow wetland. While this wetland isn’t part of the Five Island Lake watershed, it is an example of what one farm can do for water quality. Author Dirck Steimel wrote, “The Berklands, Ritch and Cynthia, worked with Josh Divan, precision ag and conservation specialist for Pheas
I like a government for the people!
Written By:
Terry Frovik | Lake Shore | 8:00 am, Feb. 22, 2021 ×
I like farmers, a lot.
Innovative ways to support their work and the environment are good for all. In 1985, the government began paying farmers to set aside some of their cropland from production in order to protect the environment and to renew the soil. It’s called the Conservation Reserve Program. Good idea!
So, I’m thinking, in moments of financial crisis, why can’t the government (perhaps local) offer qualified, productive, hard working families a “crisis grant” as protection from severe stress leading to possible foreclosure on their home, divorce or serious illnesses, such as alcoholism, heart disorders, depression, etc.? We could call this family safety net the Crisis Stress Intervention Program.
A growing focus on climate change continues to include agriculture as part of the solution, and sitting at the table is the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA) who also is expanding its membership. As Congress and the White House look to tackle the impact of climate change and the role government plays, the initial 40 plus recommendations offered last fall by FACA will take on increasing importance in guiding the discussion for agriculture’s role.
Meanwhile, the House Agriculture Committee plans to host its first hearing on climate change on Thursday at 12:30 ET. (Note this is an updated time, changed from originally scheduled on Tuesday.) The livestream of the hearing can be viewed here. It’s likely the hearing will feature questioning on USDA’s ability to create a carbon bank and tapping into the Commodity Credit Corporation to make payments to farmers. The CCC currently pays out farm bill programs and also the pot of money tapped into for recent ad hoc payments i