Rural Issue

More people should hear the conservation story

Wayne FredericksA conservation farmer says that the story of sustainable production has to be told to more people.

Northeast Iowa farmer Wayne Fredericks says his fellow conservation-minded farmers are easily convinced to put cover crops, no-till and nutrient management into practice.  But especially in tough economic times, he says it’s hard to reach those who’ve not farmed that way.

“We’re up against this, I call it a wall, an informational wall, it’s a comfort zone wall,” said Fredericks, during an interview with Brownfield Ag News Wednesday.  “We need to establish how to bring producers in that haven’t done any of these types of practices before; how do we start them down the road to being successful.”

Fredericks suggests that landowners will be the long-term beneficiaries of having sound conservation practices put in place on their farms.

“And I think it’s inherent for them to come to understand what the cost is involved with that, the benefits that they’re going to achieve long term on their land, and bring them into the conversation,” he said.

Fredericks spoke at the Iowa Soybean Association Research Conference in Des Moines.

AUDIO: Wayne Fredericks (12 min. MP3)

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