Green Lands, Blue Waters A Vision and Roadmap for the Next Generation of Agricultural Systems
Jan 02, 2016
Minnesota Harvested Soybean and Alfalfa Acreages
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1975 '78 '81 '84 '87 '90 '93 '96 '99
Alf
alfa
& S
oybe
an (
mill
ions
of
acre
s)
Alfalfa
Soybeans
Portion of total MN Crop land in Corn and Bean Production
40%
45%
50%
55%
60%
65%
70%
1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003
Corn and Soybean Acreage6 County Southeast MN
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
1975 2001
Corn and Soybeans
Gyles Randall,2003
Corn and Soybean acreage11 County South Central Minnesota
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
1975 2001
Corn and Soybeans
Gyles Randall,2003
May 3 - 16
April 5 - 18
Areas of perennialvegetation
Areas of annualRow cropping
2002 Growing Season
Annual Tile Drainage Lossin Corn-Soybean Rotation
Waseca, 1987-2001
July-March29%
April, May, June71%
Gyles Randall, 2003
Corn and Soybean Nitrate-N Loss Concentrations
• Tile drainage system• U of MN - Lamberton
0
5
10
15
20
25
Corn/Bean Perennials
mg/LMidpointof range
Gyles Randall, 2003
Rabalais et al. 2000
Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico
93.5 92.5 91.5 90.5 89.5
longitude (deg.)
28.5
29.0
29.5
30.0
lati
tud
e (d
eg.)
Atchafalaya R.
Mississippi R.
bottom dissolved oxygen less than 2.0 mg/L, July 1999
50 km
TerrebonneBay
Sabine L.L. Calcasieu
93.5 92.5 91.5 90.5 89.5
longitude (deg.)
28.5
29.0
29.5
30.0
lati
tud
e (d
eg.)
Atchafalaya R.
Mississippi R.
bottom dissolved oxygen less than 2.0 mg/L, July 1999bottom dissolved oxygen less than 2.0 mg/L, July 1999
50 km
TerrebonneBay
Sabine L.L. Calcasieu
January 2001
Management Approach:
…a a 30% reduction30% reduction(from the average discharge in the 1980-1996 time frame) in nitrogen discharges to the Gulf (on a 5-year running average)…
-0
-5,000
-10,000
-20,000
-15,000
-25,000S
quar
e K
ilom
eter
s
GOAL: By the year 2015, subject to the availability of additional resources, reduce the 5-year running
average areal extent of the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone to less than 5,000 square kilometers
Gulf Hypoxia:
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
900019
85
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Are
a (
mi2
)Areal Extent of Bottom-Water Hypoxia in Mid-Summer
no
da
ta
ActionPlan Goal
LongTerm
Average
5-yearAverage
Source: Nancy Rabalais, LUMCON
Cultivated Land
Grassland
Deciduous Forest
Urban
80% in cultivation and includes a portion of Montevideo
Catchment size: 17,994 ha
Chippewa River Land Use
Four Scenarios
D Managed year-round vegetative cover
• Cover crops, increased managed grazing, prairie restoration, 90 m buffers
A Extension of current trends • Increased field size, focus on annual crop
productionB Adoption of best management practices • Shift to conservation tillage, use recommended nutrient application rates,30 m riparian buffersC Expand diversity • Five year crop rotation, more grazing • Wetland restoration
Chippewa River
Scenario AScenario B
Scenario CScenario D
-80
-60
-40
-20
0
Sediment Nitrogen Phosphorus
Ch
ang
e f
rom
bas
elin
e (%
)
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
10
Ch
ang
e fr
om
Bas
elin
e (%
)
WellsCreek
ChippewaRiver
Scenario AScenario B
Scenario CScenario D
Surface Runoff
Habitat and Bird Species Richness
From Best, L, et al. American Midland Naturalist, Vol 134, No 1, July 95 (1-29
Initiative Vision To improve water quality in the
Mississippi River Basin, increase economic options and profitability for farmers, improve wildlife habitat, reduce flooding potential, strengthen vitality and quality of life of rural communities, and enhance human health.
Initiative Mission
To support development of and transition to a new generation of agricultural systems in the Mississippi River Basin that integrate more perennial plants and other continuous living cover into the agricultural landscape.
Objectives: Develop and promote profitable
enterprises• Build Capacity of stakeholders regarding
continuous living cover systems and water quality;• Significantly expand the knowledge base
regarding continuous living cover systems and their impacts and potential
• Coordinate and build on related new and existing activities
• Heighten visibility and increase financial support of and focus on continuous living cover systems
• Identify and promote supporting policy changes
Potential Ecosystem Services Provided by Perennial
Cropping SystemsNutrient Cycling, Flood
Management, Natural Pest Management, Soil Health,Wildlife Diversity, Water Quality, Erosion
Control, Carbon Management, Climate Mediation
Grazing Systems• Perennial ryegrass
Winter hardiness, Seed production, Rotational grazing
• Illinois bundleflower and other native legumes
Mixed warm season grass-rotational grazing systems
Grazing
Biomass Energy• Willows, Salix sp.• Alfalfa, Medicago sativa,
JoAnn Lamb USDA-ARS St. Paul
• Perennial sunflower, Helianthus sp.
• Perennial flax, Linum perenne
• Native legumes, False indigo, Amorpha fruticosa
Trees and Shrubs
• Willows, Salix sp. Decorative and energy• Hybrid popular,
Populus sp. Energy and fiber • Hazelnuts, Corylus
avellana x C. americana and C. cornuta
Oil, confectionary, and energy
Perennial Native Legumes• 50 species preliminary
evaluation Winter hardiness• 10 species more detailed
studies Production and selection Feeding trials—swine Antioxidants—Food, fuel,
feed and cosmetics Antimicrobial—Food,
cosmetics and feed
Oil Seed Crops
• Perennial flax, Linum sp.
• Perennial sunflower, Helianthus sp.
Lewis Flax (Linum perenne lewisii)
Wetland Restoration• Willow, Salix sp. Nitrogen harvesting,
energy, water retention
• Native wetland species
Unique industrial chemicals, wildlife habitat-hunting
Cover Crops
• Red clover, Trifolium pratense
• Winter rye, Secale cereale, Paul Porter
• Brassica sp.• Alfalfa, Medicago
sativa• Birdsfoot trefoil,
Lotus corniculatus• Native legumesApril 30, 1999
Advantages to Production Agriculture
• Improve environmental performance
• Improve economic diversity/profitability
• Keep working lands working
• Adopt a non-regulatory, long term strategy
Strategy 1Involve diverse stakeholders
– Audubon Society, Upper Mississippi Basin Initiative– Iowa Farmers Union– Illinois Stewardship Alliance– Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy– The Land Institute– Land Stewardship Project– Minnesota Farmers Union– Mississippi River Basin Alliance– The Nature Conservancy, Upper Mississippi Basin Project – The Practical Farmers of Iowa– Trout Unlimited– Minnesota Pollution Control Agency– US Environmental Protection Agency– USDA/US Forest Service
Strategy 2:Engage land-grant institutions
– The University of Illinois**– Iowa State University, including the Leopold
Center for Sustainable Agriculture**– Louisiana State University – North Dakota State University **– University of Minnesota **– University of Wisconsin**
** indicates collaborators who have signed letters of participation
Strategy 3:Organize at the Watershed, State
& Basin Levels• Watershed Learning Groups (CIG / EPA Grant Pending)
– Initially focus on two watersheds/state– Develop learning groups
• State Coordinating Committees (Federal Leopold)– Representatives from learning groups and the consortium – Responsible for planning, implementing and monitoring in that
state
• Multi-state consortium (Charter Partners & McKnight)– Land-grants, NGOs, and government agencies– Responsible for overall planning, monitoring and budget
oversight
Strategy 4: Targeting a portion of the most environmentally sensitive lands will maximize the environmental benefit
Strategy 5:
Develop Supporting InfrastrutureMarket – Technical – Financial
Social – Human - Policy
Ten-Year Outcomes• Development of new crops, products, and associated
markets for products of continuous living cover systems• Increased continuous living cover on the agricultural
landscape in the Mississippi River Basin • Reduced N loading from agricultural production at the
watershed level by 30%• Reduced number of impaired waters in the watersheds• Increased migratory waterfowl and neo-tropical
songbird populations at the watershed level by 30% or more.
• Shrinkage of the hypoxic zone from its 2002 level
RESEARCH OUTREACH
EDUCATION
University of Minnesota
Forest Resources – CNR Agronomy & Plant Genetics-COAFES
Applied Economics -COAFES
UMN Extension Services
Mission• Partner based org. that catalyzes the development
of integrated land use systems,
• linking the expertise of UMN with the experience and insights of partners leading to:– More diversified agricultural and natural resource
production base– Increased profitability for landowners– Enhanced environment/ecosystem– Strengthened rural communities
Approach• Providing profitable, feasible options to landowners
– Research on alternative herbaceous and woody perennials – agroforestry systems
– Development of markets for alternative crops– Estimate of economic benefits to society– Development of policy support for alternative crops
• Leading to cumulative landscape change to:– Improve water quality and storage– Provide environmental and economic benefits to society
and,– Financial benefits to landowners and rural communities
CINRAM - Current activities• Integrated watershed management in the Minnesota
River Basin– CSREES Project
– LCMR Project
• IREE (Rahr malting)• CATIE partnership (Watershed work)• Palm Project - Certification (CEC-UMN)• AFTA Conference 2005• Aveda corporation (essential oils, anti-oxidants)• Green lands, blue waters