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Minnesota Ag Water Quality certification milestone
More than 300 Minnesota farms are now certified under the Ag Water Quality Certification program.
Department of Ag Commissioner Dave Frederickson says 175,000 acres have been enrolled.
“We’re plodding away, but we’re doing it the right way. We’re establishing Best Management Practices on working lands in Minnesota. And these are practices that our own University has said (work) for water quality.”
Best Management Practices (BMP’s) include split applications of nitrogen, reduced tillage and buffer strips.
He tells Brownfield studies conducted by the University of Minnesota show the program has made a very positive impact since it began two years ago.
“14.7 million pounds of soil was kept on the field with this program that otherwise we would’ve possibly lost into the stream. So, the numbers are really strong (and) I’m really proud of the program.”
Frederickson says nearly 300 additional farms are in the cue waiting to be certified.
Interested farmers should contact the Minnesota Department of Agriculture for more information.
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