Cover crops, rotational grazing, habitat add up to water quality certification

Ben Dwire of Arco in western Minnesota does a lot to make his farm sustainable, including cover crops, rotational grazing, and growing pollinator habitat. See the video (link below) in this segment of the Feb. 3, 2019 episode of Prairie Sportsman on Pioneer Public Television. Now Dwire can add being a Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certified farmer to his list of accomplishments.

Certification is a voluntary opportunity for farmers and agricultural landowners to take the lead in implementing conservation practices to protect our water. It uses a risk-assessment process where risks to water quality are identified and worked on. Farms that install and maintain approved farm management practices will be certified and in turn obtain regulatory certainty for a period of 10 years.

Certification numbers as of March 31:

• 716 certified producers
• 471,820 certified acres
• 1,436 new practices implemented

Ben Dwire’s Sustainable Farming Practices Video:  https://www.pca.state.mn.us/featured/cover-crops-rotational-grazing-habitat-add-water-quality-certification