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Vilsack says voluntary conservation programs are working

There’s been considerable debate as to whether farming conservation practices should remain voluntary or be made mandatory.  But Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack believes voluntary programs are working and that farmers are embracing new conservation practices.

Conference_LOGO“We’ve recently done a series of assessments in the Upper Mississippi River Basin and in the Chesapeake Bay area, specifically, that show and indicate that voluntary conservation is reducing nitrogen and phosphorous intake into our rivers and streams and reducing the rate of soil erosion,” Vilsack says.

Vilsack spoke via phone to an Ames, Iowa conference on the sustainability and resilience of corn-based cropping systems.  He says, going forward, farmers will need to adapt to highly variable and unpredictable weather and long term changing climate conditions.

“On the one hand we’re likely going to see longer growing seasons, which could potentially give rise to increased crop productivity,” says Vilsack. “But on the other hand, we’re also likely going to experience more extreme weather events and additional and more significant pest and disease risks, all of which could substantially reduce crop production.”

The Resilient Agriculture Conference in Ames has drawn farmers, crop advisers and scientists from all across the U.S.  It’s sponsored by the USDA’s Sustainable Corn Project and the 25x’25 Alliance.

AUDIO: Excerpts from Vilsack’s conference call (16:52 MP3)

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