During the 2012 Conservation in Action Tour the word “precision” came up multiple times. As precision ag continues to develop it is being seen as an effective tool for conservation plans and practices. One of our speakers addressed this subject. He’s Terry Griffin, farmer and also VP, Applied Economics for new precision ag company, CrescoAg. Terry says one example of …
Conservation Benefits Wildlife
During the afternoon of the 2012 Conservation in Action Tour our speakers talked a lot about how soil and water conservation systems benefit wildlife. One of our presenters was Kay Whittington, Chief of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality’s Management Branch, Surface Water Division. Kay says that the same conservation practices that help farmers manage soil and water quality also …
The CTIC Cheerleader
I think he’s the head cheerleader for the Conservation Technology Information Center. He’s board member Ron Olson, Mosaic Company, Eastern Region, Senior Agronomist. Ron is seen announcing door prize winners during our lunch at the 2012 Conservation in Action Tour. Ron told me that the actions and work that CTIC has exhibited over many years is what has kept them …
Delta F.A.R.M. – Farmers Practicing Conservation
One of the workhorses on the 2012 Conservation in Action Tour was Trey Cooke who is the Executive Director for Delta F.A.R.M. He says that water conservation and water quality is the main focus of the organization right now since it is so important to area farmers. Sediment has always been an issue since many of the non-point source pollutants …
AGROTAIN Efficiently Using a Limited Resource
Thanks to Koch Agronomic Services (AGROTAIN) I was able to attend the 2012 Conservation in Action Tour again this year. I visited with Greg Schwab, Director of Agronomy, during the Conservation Technology Expo which is held after lunch on the tour. Greg is in the photo at their booth in the expo. We talked about how farmers are proactively investing …
NRCS Chief Dave White on CTIC Tour
The Chief of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is Dave White. Dave was our lunch speaker during the 2012 Conservation in Action Tour. He also participated in the tour and talked about NRCS’ voluntary, incentive-based conservation work with private landowners. I recorded Dave’s remarks for you and also interviewed him at the end of our lunch. He said there are …
Regional and Local Conservation Alliances
Since Delta region farm runoff makes its way eventually to the Gulf of Mexico, the 2012 Conservation in Action Tour heard from Phil Bass, acting director of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance. This is a partnership started in 2004 by the states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Phil says the Alliance has survived ten governor changes which shows …
Managing Field Drainage in the Delta Region
Rob Coker farms corn and soybeans in Yazoo County, Mississippi. He’s currently serving as the President of the Mississippi Corn Promotion Board and just completed his term as Chair of Delta F.A.R.M. He’s a progressive conservationist who is always looking for new technologies and practices. He shared some of what he’s learned with the 2012 Conservation in Action Tour. Land …
Monitoring Water Quality
Matt Hicks, U.S. Geological Survey, talked to the 2012 Conservation in Action Tour about water quality monitoring. We were standing next to a monitoring station that collects data from one of the drainage ditches on the farm. You can find photos of it in the online photo album. Matt says his agency provides water quality monitoring assistance to other agencies …
Managing Water Quality
Water quality was the theme of the 2012 Conservation in Action Tour stop where we met Robbie Kroger, Mississippi State University. You’ll notice a drainage ditch in the photo. After some opening remarks we got down there to see some of the creative ways that this farm is managing runoff water using pipes, pads and weirs. Robbie says the Delta …