The evolution of agriculture

Ray WrightResearch Specialist

University of Missouri-Columbia

The Great Plow Up (Suitcase Farmers)

Fence Row to Fence Row (Feed The World)

Bio Tech., Roundup, Stacked Traits (Product Efficiency)

Remote Censoring, GPS Guided Systems Variable Seeding Rates (Equipment Efficiency)

Cover Cropping Systems (Soil Health)

Erosion Soil Health Exhaustion Water Quality Issues Declines in Wildlife Viability and Population

Stability Correction Opportunities

Cover cropping systems Benefit Erosion Benefit Soil Health Benefit Weed Suppression Nutrient Management and Stabilization Benefits Water Resources

- In soil Profile - Filters Runoff and Ground Water Resources

Increased Habitat for Wildlife

Quail Pheasants Pollinators

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Quail Harvested in Illinois

“The loss of basic habitat requirements in our landscapes such as floral resources other than flowering crops that provide food to pollinators.”

Goulson, D. et al. 2008. Decline and conservation of bumble bees. Annual Review of Entomology 53: 191-208

Increasing Areas Available for Wildlife Use -Traditional Seasonal Habitat, i.e. Crops-Increasing the Time Seasonal Habitats are Available for Wildlife, i.e. Cover Crops

Planting Cover Crops that Promote Critical Habitat Needs of Wildlife

- Polycultures (Three or More)- Cover Crop Species Selection

Nesting Cover Brood Rearing Cover Escape Cover Food Availability Balance of Habitat

Missouri Bobwhite Quail Habitat Appraisal Guide: Robert Pierce, Extension Wildlife Specialist-UMC , Bill White, Private Lands Programs Supervisor-MDC and Pat Graham, State Biologist USDA- NRCS

Selection of cover crop species which provide critical habitat and soil health benefits

Cover crop planting methods resulting in maximum stand development therefore providing optimal soil health improvements while benefiting wildlife use.

Timely termination of cover crop for production agriculture.

POLYCULTURES FLOWERING

2013 Corn yield after Cover Crops

CornTreatment Yield

Bu/acreControl 175Hairy Vetch 199Crimson Clover 165Radish 174Cereal Rye 175Hairy Vetch+Rye 187Crimson Clv. +Rye 181Radish + Rye 173Rye+Radish+HV+CC 174

Nesting study Summer cover crop rate study Cover crop date of planting study

Planting Technique Cover Crop Type % Nest Success

30” Row Spacing Summer 41

30” Row Spacing Summer 100

30” Row Spacing Fall 44

30” Row Spacing Fall/Mowed 0

15” Row Spacing None 0

Summer Cover Crop : Sunflower, Sesbania, Winter Pea, Hairy Vetch, Cereal Rye, Crimson Clover

Fall Cover Crop : Winter Pea, Hairy vetch, Cereal Rye, Crimson Clover

Soil and Water Conservation Society Mission:

Our mission is to foster the science and art of natural resource conservation. Our work targets conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources on working land—the land used to produce food, fiber, and other services that improve the quality of life people experience in rural and urban communities. We work to discover, develop, implement, and constantly improve ways to use land that sustains its productive capacity and enhances the environment at the same time

Private Lands Efforts Are Reestablishing Habitat In Iowa land in public ownership is very limited. Public areas can only serve as islands of wildlife habitat in a landscape dominated by row crops

and urban sprawl. As a result, fulfilling the habitat needs of the state's diverse wildlife species requires natural resources and wildlife habitat be reestablished and/or protected on private lands.

Toward that end, the Iowa DNR Wildlife Bureau maintains a Private Lands Program with a focused effort to enroll landowners in conservation programs across the state. Using 5 Private Lands Biologists, 5 Wildlife Specialists, 4 AmeriCorps members, and 5 Habitat Specialist stationed in local Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) offices, the efforts of the state's 20 management biologists are greatly enhanced.

The Iowa DNR coordinates its efforts with those of the NRCS, Farm Service Agency (FSA), and the Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD). It also is receiving assistance from and working cooperatively with many non-government organizations such as Pheasants Forever and The Nature Conservancy in its effort to get the habitat back on the land.

This private lands effort involves contacting and advising landowners about possible conservation practices that could be put into place on their lands. Wetlands are designed, shelterbelts and winter food plots are developed and planted, native grass seedings and tree plantings are designed. Funding to get these designed practices on the ground comes from the USDA, IDNR, and private organizations.

Technical Assistance Restoring Wetlands The Iowa DNR Wildlife Bureau provides technical expertise to landowners interested in restoring wetlands on their property. Private Lands Biologists are able to assist landowners in evaluating their properties potential for wetland restoration, setting goals and identifying priorities for their land. Wildlife Bureau biologists can also assist landowners by identifying potential partners and federal programs that can help the landowner construct and cover costs of restoring wetlands. Many public Wildlife Management Areas provide examples of the benefits that can be accrued by restoring wetlands. Dugout Creek is one such public wetland that was restored in Dickinson County.

Technical Assistance Restoring/Establishing Grasslands Historically, much of Iowa was a large expanse of tall grass prairie. Today, only small protected remnants of the tall grass prairie remain. The tall grass prairie was once home to a great diversity of wildlife species including Bison and Elk. Though our needs for agriculture preclude a return to pre-settlement expanses of tall grass prairie, the potential to restore portions of this once great ecosystem remains especially for private landowners who wish to have purple cone flower and bobolinks on their property, and for landowners who wish to improve habitat for pheasants, quail and hungarian partridge.

For these landowners interested in restoring and enhancing grasslands on their property, the Iowa DNR can provide technical assistance. Management biologists can assist landowners in evaluating their properties potential for grassland restoration, setting goals and identifying priorities for their land. Iowa DNR biologists can also assist landowners by identifying potential partners and federal programs that can help the landowner seed and generate income by restoring grasslands and other sorts of wildlife habitat.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources

This private lands effort involves contacting and advising landowners about possible conservation practices that could be put into place on their lands. Wetlands are designed, shelterbelts and winter food plots are developed and planted, native grass seedings and tree plantings are designed. Funding to get these designed practices on the ground comes from the USDA, IDNR, and private organizations.

Our opportunities have never been better for the merger of conservation and agriculture. Our goal should be to find the most practical applications to incorporate modern agriculture and conservation. Cover cropping systems can potentially be the best way we have seen to accomplish this goal.

Pollinator Use of Ecotypes vs. Non-Ecotype Native Plants: Missouri Department of Conservation

Alternative Native Planting for Newly Established Water Ways: Missouri Department of Conservation

Building Drought Resiliency through Soil Health: Conservation Innovation Grant

Building Potential Wildlife Habitat Through Planned Cover Cropping Systems: National Wildlife Foundation