Conservation Blogger

Artificial Sweeteners Remain After Sewage Treatment

2009-07-09T14:55:00.002-05:00

The potential heath effects of artificial sweeteners are still debated, but the controversy surrounding their effect on the environment is just beginning.

Researchers in Germany used a new analytical method to detect artificial sweeteners in waste and surface water. Out of the seven sweeteners they tested for, they found four: acesulfame, saccharin, cyclamate, and sucralose. These sweeteners are making it through the sewage treatment process, indicating that sweeteners are polluting rivers and streams that receive water from sewage treatment plants. In previous studies, only sucralose had been detected.

Click here for more information on this research.

Forum on Forests and Climate Change: To Copenhagen and Beyond

2009-07-09T11:28:00.004-05:00

Climate Change: Catalysing Synergies

Climate change is affecting the entire forest sector with all its stakeholders and is perceived as a common challenge. A decision for whether and how forests will be dealt with in the post 2012 climate arrangement is expected to be negotiated at the UNCCC COP 15 at Copenhagen, Denmark, in early December. In preparation for Copenhagen 2009, the XIII World Forests Congress invites the global community to a Forum on Forests and Climate Change, a unique occasion for debate which aims to produce a recommendation of a technical nature, which will be presented to the UNCCC COP 15.

Forests are linked with climate change in various ways - they are affected by climate change, when degraded or removed, they contribute to climate change through greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and they contribute to climate change mitigation by sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during afforestation and reforestation. Furthermore, the use of wood for products and fuel reduces GHG emissions from competing, more carbon-intensive products.

According to the FAO (2005), deforestation worldwide, mainly conversion of forests to agricultural land, continues at an alarming rate (approximately 13 million hectares per year for the period 1990–2005). Deforestation and forest degradation result in immediate release of the carbon originally stored in the trees as CO2 emissions, particularly if the trees are burned, and the biomass decays. The IPCC WG III (2007) estimated emissions from deforestation in the 1990s to be at 5.8 GtCO2/yr, accounting for roughly 17% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The IPCC also notes that reducing and/or preventing deforestation and forest degradation are the mitigation option with the largest and most immediate global carbon stock impact in the short term, per hectare and per year, as the release of carbon as emissions into the atmosphere is prevented.

With the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report has come more certainty that climate change is an inevitable consequence of past and present human activities. Observations of current impacts of climate-mediated events on forests include diebacks and mass mortality and changes in tree physiology, forest biodiversity, forest growth and productivity. Forests interact intimately with climate and are also an essential part of many societies, especially in the developing world. Climate change is already affecting people and livelihoods and in despite of incomplete knowledge and uncertainties, forest adaptation is possible, but it is necessary to have a plan and act rapidly.

Environmental Working Group Recommends more Focus for EQIP Program

2009-06-17T09:11:00.004-05:00

The goal of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is to encourage farmers to use conservation practices on their land that reduce farm runoff, improve water and air quality and preserve wildlife habitat. The initial implementation of a new conservation practice can be costly; this program helps provide funding to farmers who volunteer and who meet the eligibility requirements. More information about the program can be found here.

Agricultural practices are the primary cause of the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico. Conservation efforts should help reduce agriculture’s impact on the gulf, but a new report released by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that relying on voluntary participation for conservation effort is not enough. Their report recommends targeting taxpayer money to the highest priority locations, particularly in the Mississippi River watershed, to make the most of the money and to have the most improvement on water quality.

This new EWG report is called Making EQIP Work for Water Quality in 10 Mississippi River Border States. The EWG recommends that the USDA president takes action to increase the effectiveness of the EQIP program, including setting specific goals for how much pollution needs to be reduced, identifying which lakes, streams or tributaries are priorities for improvement, and setting a timetable to achieve the goals.

More information about this report can be found here.

The Clean Water Act Needs an Upgrade, and You can Help

2009-06-08T07:50:00.005-05:00

For years, the Clean Water Act has protected US bodies of water from unregulated industrial pollution, oil spills and destruction by filling. Its effectiveness began its decline in 2001, when the US Supreme Court made a decision that suggested that the Clean Water Act may not apply to bodies of water that are far from navigable waterways or that are dry for part of the year. Since then, thousands of water bodies have lost their protected status. The status of others remains ambiguous, making it difficult to enforce the Clean Water Act.

A new act, called the Clean Water Restoration Act, would update the old law with text that clearly outlines what bodies of water are protected. It would protect rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands from pollution and would give protected status back to the bodies of water that have lost it since 2001.

You can help. Click here to use a template email to contact your senator to make sure the Clean Water Restoration Act becomes law.

Bioelectricity Creates Questions about Ethanol’s Efficiency

2009-05-21T12:31:00.002-05:00

"For these beneficial approaches, we could do more to fight climate change by making electricity than making ethanol," said field and lead author Elliot Campbell of the University of California, Merced.

In a recent study published in Science Magazine, ethanol and bioelectricity were compared to determine their environmental impacts. Two factors were considered: how much cropland is used and the effectiveness at reducing greenhouse gas emissions when used as fuel.

Ethanol is a liquid fuel that can be used like gasoline to power vehicles. It is produced from plant biomass, like corn or switchgrass. Bioelectricity comes from the same type of source—biomass—but in this case the biomass is used to produce electricity, which is then used to power an electric car battery.

Bioelectricity outpaced ethanol by 81% in terms of land use, and it also offset 108% more greenhouse gas emissions. The source of the biomass did not affect the results; bioelectricity was the clear winner. For example, a small SUV could travel about 14,000 miles using bioelectricity produced from an acre of switchgrass, but it could only travel 9,000 miles using ethanol made with the same parameters. Bioelectricity is even more appealing because it has more potential to make use of carbon capture technology, which would offset even more carbon emissions.

Campbell offered an explanation for ethanol’s poor performance relative to bioelectricity.

"The internal combustion engine just isn't very efficient, especially when compared to electric vehicles," said Campbell. "Even the best ethanol-producing technologies with hybrid vehicles aren't enough to overcome this."

Still, more research should be completed before concluding that bioelectricity is the best approach.

"We also need to compare these options for other issues like water consumption, air pollution, and economic costs," said David Lobell of Stanford’s Program on Food Security and the Environment.

For more information on this study, go here.

Organic Agriculture Funding Approved

2009-05-19T14:35:00.004-05:00

The 2009 Organic Initiative was created to provide financial assistance to encourage organic production. Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan has announced that $50 million from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program will be available to help fund this initiative nationally.

"The objective of this initiative is to make organic food producers eligible to compete for EQIP financial assistance," said Merrigan.

Both National Organic Program certified organic producers and producers who are moving toward organic practices may apply. If you are interested, you should visit your nearest USDA Service Center to make sure you are eligible. Applications must be turned in by May 29.

Applications will be ranked using two National Screening Tools (one for certified producers and one for producers who are transitioning to organic practices). Ranking will be based on core conservation practices and resources concerns related to National Organic Program objectives. For a list of the objectives or for more information, go here.

Harvesting Rainwater would make Increasing Crop Production Possible

2009-05-14T12:53:00.005-05:00

Many questions loom about water availability in the future. Will there be enough for crop production, especially with the increasing world population? Will climate change make water even more scarce? Past predictions suggest that there will be a water shortage, but recent research published in the Water Resources Research journal suggests that there may be a way to prepare and adapt.

A team of Swedish and German scientists decided to consider future water availability using both “blue” and “green” water. Blue water is what is usually considered when trying to determine if there will be enough water; it includes river discharge and groundwater. What makes this study unique is that it also looks at “green” water, which is water that is present due to rainfall. The results of this research show that well-managed rainfall will provide enough water for many countries to grow food to sustain their populations, despite population increases and climate change.

“Much of the past debate regarding various water-scarce regions focused on the absence of water rather than the opportunities linked to the presence of water,” says lead author Johan Rockström from the Stockholm Environment Institute and the Stockholm Resilience Centre.

The research team plans to cooperate in future studies to explore specific green water management methods to expand future food production opportunities. More information about the current article is available from ScienceDaily.

Dedication Ceremony to Honor Norm Berg

2009-05-13T12:06:00.001-05:00

On Friday, May 15, 2009, the National Plant Materials Center in Beltsville, Maryland, will be renamed as the Norman A. Berg National Plant Materials Center to honor Berg’s contributions to conservation. The renaming ceremony will begin at 11:00 am and will last about an hour. It will take at the National Plant Materials Center located in the Beltsville Agricultural Research Complex at 8840 Beaver Dam Road, Building 509, Beltsville, Maryland 20705; phone (301) 504 8175.

Congress elected to dedicate the National Plant Materials Center in honor of Berg in the 2008 farm bill. The ceremony will be led by Dave White, Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service is sponsoring the event.

All are welcome to attend. Be sure to RSVP to Ayana Williford by phone (202-720-3210) or email (Ayana.Williford@wdc.usda.gov). You should also plan to arrive early.

SWCS Annual Conference Podcast #2

2009-05-07T12:39:00.003-05:00

64th International SWCS Annual Conference
July 11-15, 2009 in Dearborn, Michigan
www.swcs.org/09ac

As a part of the planning for the 2009 SWCS Annual Conference, we are pleased to bring you a series of podcasts featuring key members of the program committee and planning team for the conference.

Today’s podcast is from Gene Rosow, Director/Producer of DIRT! The Movie. We are very excited to be hosting a screening of the documentary as the special event on Monday night at the 2009 Annual Conference. Following the screening, Mr. Rosow will be our special guest for an informal question and answer session. The event is being presented by EnviroCert International.

To listen to the podcast, go to www.swcs.org/acpodcasts

SWCS Annual Conference Podcast #1

2009-05-01T13:47:00.001-05:00

64th International SWCS Annual Conference
July 11-15, 2009 in Dearborn, Michigan
www.swcs.org/09ac

As a part of the planning for the 2009 SWCS Annual Conference, we are pleased to bring you a series of podcasts featuring key members of the program committee and planning team for the conference. Today’s podcast is from Jeff Strock, Annual Conference Program Chair and Associate Professor of Soil Science at the University of Minnesota.

To listen, go to www.swcs.org/acpodcasts

This year, the overarching theme of the conference is Delivering Conservation, Today and Tomorrow. Conference highlights include a screening of Dirt! The Movie (and a Q&A session with one of the directors); 24 symposia, more than 150 oral and poster sessions, eight tours, and a variety of additional networking opportunities. Registration and more information is online at www.swcs.org/09ac

Farming with Grass Book Published by SWCS

2009-04-02T16:32:00.005-05:00

“Degradation of air, water, soil, and biodiversity has been prevalent throughout this industrial epoch, and we can now see that such extensive degradation may be diminishing the future viability of agriculture and the quality of life in rural areas.” Foreword

Farming with Grass: Achieving Sustainable Mixed Agricultural Landscapes was inspired by a conference with the same name, which brought together diverse stakeholders in grassland environments.

The purpose of the conference was to (1) help assess the current condition of agriculture, (2) consider alternative production scenarios for grassland agricultural ecosystems, (3) identify key
issues hindering the development of more sustainable systems, and (4) clarify the role of science and government policies in developing options for the future. The Farming with Grass book documents the valuable information collected during this conference.

Farming with Grass: Achieving Sustainable Mixed Agricultural Landscapes is available here: http://www.swcs.org/en/publications/farming_with_grass/.

Participate in World Water Monitoring Day Program

2009-03-31T12:44:00.002-05:00

The World Water Monitoring Day Program has expanded. For the first time, participants can monitor their water any time between March 22 and December 31, 2009. In 2008, monitoring was limited to September 18 through December 18.

The goal of the World Water Monitoring Day Program is to engage one million people in one hundred countries in monitoring local waterways by 2012. In 2008, 73,510 people participated worldwide, which was a 60% increase from 2007, according to the program’s Year in Review. People can participate on their own or they can work as a team through their school, university, community, or common-interest group.

Participants test water for dissolved oxygen levels, pH, temperature, and turbidity (clarity). They report results on the World Water Monitoring Day Web site.

World Water Monitoring Day is an international education and outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world by engaging citizens in conducting basic monitoring of their local water bodies. For more information about the program, how to participate, or past results, go to the World Water Monitoring Day Web site: http://www.worldwatermonitoringday.org.

Floodplain Restoration Project Launched

2009-03-04T15:00:00.004-06:00

The Nature Conservancy in Iowa is working to restore habitat on an 80 ac floodplain that is rich in biological diversity. The Nature Conservancy’s Swamp White Oak savanna, in southeastern Iowa, is the focus of this project. In the past, fire and seasonal floods limited plant growth and maintained the delicate ecosystem. Recently, however, inadequate fires have not limited growth leading to unnatural tree density. As a result, new oak trees have not had a chance to grow. In addition, floods have been so severe that they have interfered with native populations. Invasive plant species, including reed canary grass and garlic mustard, are also upsetting the natural balance of the savanna.

Research by Connie Dettman Rose will be used as a guide for the restoration plans. Rose has extensively studied survey records of native species.

“Restoration efforts will include opening of the closed canopy to a more savanna-like condition and invasive species removal. We will then return fire to the landscape,” said Jennifer Filipiak, director of conservation science for the Conservancy in Iowa.

For more information on this restoration effort, view the full article here.

Farming Practices Need Change to be Sustainable

2009-02-25T11:54:00.003-06:00

To accommodate the increasing world population and climate change, farming methods must be both productive and sustainable. Shivaji Pandev, director of the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Plant Production and Protection Division, advocated for strategic improvements to farming practices throughout the world at the IVth World Congress on Conservation Agriculture in New Delhi.

"The world has no alternative to pursuing Sustainable Crop Production Intensification to meet the growing food and feed demand, to alleviate poverty and to protect its natural resources. Conservation Agriculture is an essential element of that Intensification," Pandey said.

To increase production, farmers throughout the world have made similar mistakes: ploughing too often, applying too much fertilizer or pesticide, or providing too much irrigation water. While these strategies may appear effective in the short-term, they have long term consequences that reduce productivity.

To increase production effectively over the long term, farming practice changes should be focused on conservation agriculture, which is a practice that eliminates ploughing and includes the use of crop rotation and permanent soil cover.

Conservation agriculture helps increase productivity, but it has additional benefits as well. It reduces the carbon footprint created by farming and reduces water loss since healthy soil loses less water to evaporation. For more detail about Pandev’s presentation or recommendations, view the full article here.

SWCS Publishes Book: Relationship with the Land

2009-02-12T13:03:00.005-06:00

The Soil and Water Conservation Society has released a new book: Relationship with the Land. This collection of essays was edited by Mark Anderson-Wilk.

“Though we still live from the land, as we always have and always must, we now live with the land less than ever before,” Wendell Berry, “Living with the Land” chapter.

Cherish the work started by conservation fathers Aldo Leopold and Hugh Hammond Bennett, learn about the growth of conservation ethic, and challenge yourself to consider future conservation implications, all by reading one book. Relationship with the Land includes a collection of the most thought-provoking articles that have appeared in the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation within the last 60 years, as well as two invited essays that bring an international perspective and a controversial idea to the conservation conversation.

Relationship with the Land includes four sections:
· Hugh Hammond Bennett and the Soil Conservation Movement
· Aldo Leopold and the Land Ethic
· Development of Conservation Thought on Land Stewardship and Natural Resource Values
· The Future of the Conservation Land Ethic

“Each of us has the right to own and enjoy property, whether that property is a dollar bill, a book, or an acre of farmland…We cannot use the dollar to pay for commission of a crime, or the book to hit somebody over the head, or that farmland in a way that diminishes the private or public values of our neighbors,” Neil Sampson, “Achieving Public Values on Private Land” chapter.

“While the claim of the moral “high ground” on the basis of values may be personally gratifying, it has diverted needed attention away from understanding why land owners may be unwilling or unable to act on these values.” Pete Nowak, “Of What Value are Values in Resource Management?”

Relationship with the Land is now available at the SWCS Online Store.
ISBN 978-0-9769432-6-6

IOWA: State seeks more wetlands to fight pollution runoff

2009-02-08T09:49:00.002-06:00

By PHILIP BRASHER, Des Moines Register
pbrasher@dmreg.com

Adel, Ia. - State agriculture officials think they have the solution to the pollution problems caused by water that drains off the state's farms: Drain the water faster.

Shallow ponds like the one created with federal money on a Dallas County farm can destroy much of the pollution that runs off neighboring corn fields and eventually into Des Moines-area water supplies and on to the Gulf of Mexico.

Read the article...

Don't just read it, talk about it! Post your thoughts below in the comments or on the SWCS Network at http://swcsnetwork.ning.com/

Conservation Project Begins in Hawaii

2009-02-05T09:05:00.003-06:00

The USDA Commodity Credit Corporation and the State of Hawaii have teamed up to improve water quality, increase groundwater recharge, filter agricultural runoff to preserve reef diversity, restore habitat, and control invasive species.

"USDA is proud to collaborate with the State of Hawaii on this important agreement that will improve the state's water quality and wildlife habitat. It will protect the Hawaiian Islands' vital watersheds and riparian areas on marginal pastureland and cropland," said Carolyn Cooksie, acting administrator of the USDA Farm Service Agency.

The partnership, which is based on a Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program agreement, will encourage preservation and restoration of land on Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kauai, and Oahu. The goal for this project is to enroll 2,000 acres for forest restoration and 13,000 acres for wetland restoration.

Participation in this program is voluntary, and the signup date will be announced soon. For more information about available practices and incentives, click here.

Provide Shelter for Wildlife and Conservation

2008-12-23T10:22:00.002-06:00

Winter challenges the survival skills of even the healthiest wildlife. Winter shelters help protect animals from drifting snow, reduce wind chill exposure, and provide protection from predators.

Conservation benefits can also be achieved by providing winter cover such as a cattail slough at least 10 acres in size or a woody cover planting consisting of conifers and shrubs.

If you own land, consider making it easier for wildlife by providing cover and/or a food source on your property. If you want to add shelter to your property, work with what you already have. For example, you could add one or two rows of pine trees to an existing field windbreak.

Some government programs, like the Conservation Reserve Program, are set up to promote conservation and can also provide information on shelter benefits.

Radio Program on Floods of 2008

2008-12-14T12:43:00.003-06:00

The Exchange from Iowa Public Radio

IOWA (2008-12-10) A conversation with organizers of a state-wide conference examining the Floods of 2008. They talk about what was learned and what could be done to prevent recurrence. Participants: Kamyar Enshayan (Center for Energy and Environmental Education at the University of Northern Iowa); Wayne Petersen (Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship); Mark Ackelson (Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation) and Ben Kieffer (Host).

Listen...

2009 Annual Conference Deadline Approaches

2008-12-10T07:15:00.001-06:00

The 2009 Soil and Water Conservation Society Annual Conference is July 11-15, 2009... but responses to the Call for Papers are due in less than a week!

Deadline for oral presentations, posters, and symposia is Monday, December 15.

The complete Call for Papers can be downloaded at:
http://www.swcs.org/09ac

Submit abstracts here: http://www.formspring.com/forms/SWCS-2009_conference_abstract_submittal_form

Special Emphasis for 2009
Each year SWCS identifies topics or a theme for special attention at the Annual Conference. This year the overarching theme of the conference is Delivering Conservation, Today and Tomorrow. This emphasis will apply to ALL of the general topic areas for the conference and we encourage you to tailor your presentation to include the conference theme.

General Topic Areas
We welcome proposals for presentations that address one or more of the ongoing areas of emphasis outlined below. These ongoing areas of emphasis comprise the core work of SWCS work to foster the science and art of conservation. We have provided a list of illustrative examples of presentations and issue areas for each of the ongoing areas of emphasis. Please choose one of these when submitting an abstract. Special consideration will be given to new insights, techniques, or approaches in addressing each of these general topics.

At the 2009 SWCS Annual Conference, we would like to explore the challenges facing the delivery of conservation planning, policy, and practices today and the issues that must be resolved in order to deliver sustainable soil and water conservation tomorrow and into the future. We hope that your abstracts for oral presentations, posters, and symposia will address the technical, educational, and informational needs of conservationists as we work together to overcome these challenges.

Options For Participation
There are three ways you can propose to be part of the 2009 conference program.
1. Symposia Session: Organize a symposium session that provides more comprehensive and in-depth coverage of a specific topic.
2. Oral Presentation: Present a paper reporting the results of research or lessons learned from professional experience.
3. Poster Presentation: Present a poster reporting the results of research or lessons learned from professional experience.

We hope you will plan to submit a presentation for the conference. If you have any questions, please contact SWCS Headquarters at 515.289.2331 x114.

Sincerely,
Dewayne Johnson
Professional Development Director
Soil and Water Conservation Society

Conservation Effects Assessment Project to advance conservation effectiveness

2008-11-03T14:59:00.003-06:00

The Soil and Water Conservation Society has released a special issue of the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation dedicated to the Conservation Effects Assessment Project, commonly known as CEAP.

CEAP is a unique effort led by the United States Department of Agriculture to quantify the benefits of conservation efforts. The special issue of the journal presents the best science to date on the effectiveness of conservation programs and practices in the United States.

This special publication is an important step in a major effort to provide policy makers an account of what taxpayer investments in conservation are producing and an opportunity to retool conservation programs for greater effectiveness.

Guest editor Doug Karlen notes, “The Agricultural Research Service watershed-scale research and computer simulation modeling presented in this special issue of the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation provide the scientific base that will enable the Natural Resources Conservation Service to effectively use simulation models such as SWAT [Soil and Water Assessment Tool] and AnnAGNPS [Annualized Agricultural Non-Point Source model] to make reliable national assessments of conservation benefits.”

In addition, the journal documents the new STEWARDS data system (Sustaining the Earth’s Watersheds–Agricultural Research Data System) that allows users to search and view soil, water, climate, management, and economic data from Conservation Effects Assessment Project watersheds.

The special publication represents the cooperative efforts of numerous federal agencies, universities across the country, and the Soil and Water Conservation Society.

The special November/December 2008 journal issue is available through the Soil and Water Conservation Society by visiting http://www.jswconline.org/content/63/6.

Special Report Released on Soil Conservation in Nigeria

2008-10-16T13:51:00.004-05:00

The Soil and Water Conservation Society has just released a special report entitled Soil Conservation in Nigeria: Past and Present On-Farm and On-Station Initiatives. The report reviews agronomic, soil management, and mechanical methods of soil conservation in Nigeria.

In a Foreword to the special report, Dr. Rattan Lal of the Ohio State University provides a context for the utility of the report and the urgency of improving soil conservation practices in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Lal states that “resource-poor and small land holders in SSA and elsewhere in the developing world must be paid for ecosystem services rendered through the adoption of recommended management practices.”

The report is available for free download here:

http://www.swcs.org/en/publications/soil_conservation_in_nigeria/

Soil Sensors Being Developed at Iowa State University

2008-10-15T12:20:00.003-05:00

Researchers at Iowa State University are working on sensors and transceivers that could measure and report the amount of moisture in the soil. This would allow farmers to better understand how water travels through a field, allowing action to be taken to optimize water management.

The sensors will be buried about a foot underground so they would not affect current farming practices. Since the sensors will also be able to report their location, they will not get lost.

The research team hopes to improve the sensors so that they can also detect nutrient content and soil temperature. This would help farmers know how much nutrients to apply to which parts of the field. This information would allow maximum yield while minimizing environmental impacts.

The research team includes team leader, Ratnesh Kumar, Stuart Birrell, Ahmed Kamal, Robert Weber, Amy Kaleita, Candace Batts, Giorgi Chighladze, Jing Huang, and Herman Sahota.
For more information, go here.

Biofuels and Climate Change are Hot Topics

2008-10-06T11:29:00.009-05:00

Two articles in the Des Moines Register over the weekend demonstrate the fact that conservation is currently a hot topic and include comments from SWCS members.

Biofuels:
Caution urged in new ethanol work
By PHILIP BRASHER
Cellulosic ethanol can avoid some problems encountered with corn, but poses different environmental risks as well.

Washington, D.C. — Scientists urge caution in the way new versions of fuel ethanol are developed from crop residue, wood chips and other sources of plant cellulose.

Cellulosic ethanol is being billed as a way to replace imported oil without the use of food crops.

Click here for the full story.

Climate Change:
Climate change threatens to raise the stakes for Iowa farms
By PHILIP BRASHER
Washington, D.C. - The world already counts on Iowa to meet food production needs. A warmer world will count on Iowa even more.

If the Earth heats up as climate forecasts suggest, agricultural production is likely to fall in many parts of the world, especially in poor countries near the equator and in Australia, a key producer of grain.

Click here for the full story.

USDA Announces Public Access CRP Incentive

2008-10-03T12:31:00.003-05:00

The USDA Farm Service Agency announced today that "USDA would fully implement President George W. Bush's directive to offer incentives to farmers and ranchers for opening up their land in the Conservation Reserve Program [CRP] to the public for hunting, fishing, bird watching and other recreational activities."

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer stated that the goal of this incentive is to double public access by providing up to 7 million acres of CRP land for public access in the next 5 years in participating states.

According to a USDA Farm Service Agency news release, "The CRP public access incentive permits partnerships with existing state public access programs to identify and mark tracts of land as publicly accessible and publish maps for hunters and recreation enthusiasts. The incentive is consistent with current state public access incentives and will enhance the ability of state game departments to use hunting seasons as a wildlife management tool."

Fore more information, go to:
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=2008/10/0256.xml