News

Letter to Dayton asking to expedite release of buffer maps

The office of Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton is being asked by farmer leaders to expedite the release of the DNR’s buffer protection maps.

Minnesota Soybean Growers CEO Tom Slunecka says Dayton’s decision to exempt private drainage ditches is a good thing for farmers and rural landowners.

“This issue is one that was very complicated and was probably adding undue angst about the process.”

He says Minnesota’s Soybean and Corn Growers Associations, Minnesota Farm Bureau and the Minnesota Farmers Union have come together to write a letter to the governor.

“Asking him to expedite the release of the buffer protection maps.  That’s an important step in farmers being able to do the right thing, decide where these ditches are, start seeding and really start to incorporate the best part of the Buffer Law, which is farmers doing the right thing and do our part in making sure Minnesota has clean water.”

Once the buffer maps are made public, Slunecka tells Brownfield farmers and landowners will begin working with county commissioners, watershed districts and local soil and water conservation officials.

“There’s still some debate on how far they need to extend (and) what the definition of the ditch is.  So it’s going to be a collaborative effort between those agencies and the farmers and landowners to make sure these buffers are put in the correct and most effective places.”

The Minnesota DNR has unveiled a four-phase plan to creating the buffer protection maps with the final phase being its release sometime this summer.