News

Conservation is expensive

A southeast Minnesota farmer says conservation is expensive.

In the last few years, Tom Hoekstra of rural Plainview has invested in protecting the environment on his farm.

“To hire contractors to come out with excavators and bulldozers is very expensive.  I found that out on my first project because I couldn’t get cost share for it.”

He tells Brownfield cost share has been available for other projects, including efforts to protect a local watershed through the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification program.

“In conjunction with the White Water watershed project, my cost share was brought up to 75 percent (of the total cost).  That was the clincher there.  I could live with that; you get your estimate cost from the engineer (who) does all the pre-planning.”

Hoekstra was recently recognized for his conservation efforts by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.