Tuesday April 7 Ag News

American Ethanol Car to Appear at Nebraska State FFA Convention

American Ethanol is proud to announce its partnership with the Nebraska Corn Board, Nebraska Ethanol Board and ethanol producer Green Plains Inc. to promote homegrown American Ethanol at this week’s Nebraska State FFA Convention held April 8-10, 2015.

“We are thrilled to team up with American Ethanol to bring awareness for Nebraska-grown biofuels to FFA students all across Nebraska,” said Kim Clark of the Nebraska Corn Board. “The ethanol industry in Nebraska has created thousands of high-paying jobs in the state and we are excited to share the opportunities for those interested in a future in value-added agriculture.”

In addition to the interactive Biofuels Mobile Education Center provided by the Nebraska Corn Board, the American Ethanol No. 3 Chevrolet SS driven by NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Austin Dillon for Richard Childress Racing will be on display for FFA attendees. This car, along with every other vehicle in NASCAR’s three race series, have collectively raced more than 7 million miles on renewable Sunoco Green E15.

“I am proud to run with American Ethanol on the No. 3 Chevy SS," said Dillon. "American Ethanol is green, renewable and a high performance fuel. It emulates exactly what we believe in at Richard Childress Racing.”

In 2011, NASCAR partnered with American Ethanol and has since been committed to using cleaner burning fuel. Since the transition to E15, drivers have noticed increased horsepower and performance, further validating E15 as a super fuel. Every race car in NASCAR also bears the American Ethanol fuel port logo and each weekend, American Ethanol powers race winners to Victory Lane.

Nebraska is the second largest ethanol producing state in the country with a combined annual production capacity of 2 billion gallons of ethanol and 6 million tons of high-quality livestock feed. The state is home to 24 ethanol plants.

“The ethanol industry has been vital to the ag economy in the state,” said Todd Sneller of the Nebraska Ethanol Board. “Not only has the industry brought in major tax dollars for the state, it also has helped bring a cleaner burning fuel to Nebraska drivers, which helps support our economy and reduces our dangerous dependence on fossil fuels and foreign oil, all while providing consumers a choice and savings at the pump. Ethanol is a win – win and we are proud to support sustainable fuels that will help power our growing energy needs for generations to come.”



MOB GRAZING MISCONCEPTIONS
Bruce Anderson, Extension Forage Specialist, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

               I’m doing something a little bit different today.  I’m getting on my soap box to complain about the overuse of the term ‘mob grazing’.

               Mob grazing is a popular name for ultra-high stock density grazing.  It’s so popular, though, that many folks think they are mob grazing when they simply are strip grazing or rotating very rapidly.

               What is meant by ‘ultra-high’ is debatable but many folks consider about three hundred thousand pounds of animals per acre as the minimum to qualify for this category.  That means you need the equivalent of around two hundred or more cow-calf pairs per acre.

               Two hundred pairs will eat four to five tons of forage each day so they can stay on that small piece of ground for only a brief time.  In fact, this mob of animals often is moved to fresh pasture several times each day.

               Mob grazing can increase forage utilization.  Since animals don’t have much chance to graze selectively when tightly crowded they eat most of what they can get to.  It also improves nutrient cycling as animals trample lots of grass into the soil and spread manure quite uniformly across the small area they are grazing.

               Both goals are accomplished best when yield is quite high, often when grass is at heading.  If short grass is mob grazed, the mob needs to be moved many times each day to satisfy intake demand.  Less trampling occurs and manure may not get spread as evenly since animals often move to a new area before they make a fresh deposit.

               So, mob grazing usually is not a season-long method of grazing.  Instead, it often works best when there is much stemmy growth. You might use it for a couple of months, or maybe only a few days.  Primarily use it as a way to rejuvenate overgrown pasture.

               Used correctly, mob grazing can help almost everyone.




New Corn Herbicides for 2015
Stevan Knezevic, UNL Extension Integrated Weed Management Specialist

Several new herbicides have been registered for weed control in corn. These new herbicides do not have an active ingredient with a new mode of action, but they are tank mixtures of existing herbicides.

Anthem™ ATZ [atrazine (42.5%) + pyroxasulfone (5.15%) + fluthiacet-methyl (0.15%)]. It is a premix of three herbicides with different modes of action. It can be applied pre-plant, pre-emergence, or early post-emergence for control of broadleaf and grass weeds in all types of corn. Do not apply more than 39 oz/ac per growing season in coarse-textured soil and do not apply more than 76.46 oz/ac in medium- and fine-textured soils. Do not harvest or feed grain or stover within 70 days of last application. EPA Reg. No. 279-3449. Mode of action groups: 5, 15, 14.

Breakfree® NXT ATZ [acetochlor (33.4%) + atrazine (26.9%)]. It is a premix for pre-plant and pre-emergence control of selected broadleaf and grass weeds in corn. The application rate ranges from 1.4 to 3 quarts/ac depending on soil texture and organic matter content. EPA Reg. No. 62719-671-352. Breakfree® NXT Lite [acetochlor (46.3%) + atrazine (18.3%)]. This herbicide is similar to Breakfree® NXT ATZ, but contains more acetochlor and less atrazine. EPA Reg. No. 62719-670-352. Mode of action groups: 15, 5.

Callisto® GT [glyphosate (34%) + mesotrione (3.4%)]. It is a new premix for post-emergence weed control in glyphosate-resistant (Roundup Ready) corn. Do not apply more than one time per year and do not apply more than 2 pints/ac per year. Do not harvest forage, grain or stover within 45 days after application. EPA Reg. No. 100-1470. Mode of action groups: 9, 27.

DiFlexx™ [dicamba (56.6%)]. It may be used pre-emergence or post-emergence for control of annual broadleaf weeds and control or suppression of many biennial and perennial broadleaf weeds in field corn, field corn grown for silage, white corn, seed corn, and fallow cropland. DiFlexx includes exclusive CSI™ Safener technology which enables plants to better withstand herbicidal activity and provides better crop safety. Additionally, the safener in DiFlexx will safen the use of any amide product used before crop emergence. It can be applied from burndown or pre-plant as far out as 30 days prior to planting through late post-emergence (V10) at a rate of 8 to 16 fl oz/ac. It can be applied sequentially or in tank mixtures to provide a complete weed control program in corn. Do not exceed application rate of 64 fl oz/ac per year. Mode of action groups: 4.

Fierce™ [flumioxazin (33.5%) + pyroxasulfone (42.5%)]. Fierce is a new premix for pre-emergence control of broadleaf and grass weeds in no-till and minimum till corn. Mode of action: flumioxazin is a PPO inhibitor and pyroxasulfone is a seedling growth inhibitor.  EPA Reg. No. 63588-93-59639. Mode of action groups: 14, 15.

Instigate™ [rimsulfuron (4.17%) + mesotrione (41.67%)]. Instigate is a new premix for pre-plant and pre-emergence control of broadleaf and grass weeds in corn. It can be applied up to 14 days prior to planting or before corn emergence. It can be applied within a rate range of 5.25 to 7 oz/ac, depending on soil texture. EPA Reg. No. 352-873. Mode of action groups: 2, 27.

Solstice™ [fluthiacet methyl (2.2%) + mesotrione (38.52%)]. It contains two active ingredients possessing both contact and systemic activity that can be applied post-emergence for selective control of broadleaf weeds in field corn, seed corn, yellow popcorn, and sweet corn. It can be applied up to V8 corn growth stage or until corn is 30 inches tall. Application rate is 2.5 to 3.15 fl oz/ac. If atrazine is mixed with Solstice, do not apply to corn that is more than 12 inches high. EPA Reg No. 279-3461. Mode of action groups: 14, 27.

Zemax™ [S-metolachlor (36.8%) + mesotrione (3.68%)]. Zemax contains the active ingredients of Callisto (mesotrione) and Dual II Magnum (S-metolachlor). This double-mode-of-action herbicide can be applied from 14 days early pre-plant up to 30-inch corn. Zemax is also used in grain sorghum for pre-emergence control of many annual grass and broadleaf weeds. EPA Reg. No. 100-1410. Mode of action groups: 15, 27.

Zidua™ [pyroxasulfone (85%)]. Zidua is a pre-emergence herbicide for control of annual grasses and some small-seeded broadleaf weeds in corn. It is also labeled for early post-emergence application in corn, but only has residual activity. Therefore, when applied post-emergence in corn it should be tank-mixed with another foliar active herbicide for control of existing weeds and Zidua will provide residual activity. Application rates of Zidua vary depending on soil texture. EPA Reg. No. 7969-338. Mode of action group: 15.

More information about the efficacy of these and other herbicides is available in the 2015 Guide for Weed Management in Nebraska (EC130) for sale in a print or downloadable version from at http://marketplace.unl.edu/extension/extpubs/ec130.html. 

Always refer to the herbicide product label for complete details and directions for use.




Planting Tips for Successful No-Till
Paul Jasa, UNL Extension Engineer

In no-till, planters need to
-     cut and handle residue,
-    penetrate the soil to the desired seeding depth,
-    establish proper seed-to-soil contact, and
-    close the seed-vee.

Keeping these four items in mind, producers can evaluate the strengths or weaknesses of their planter and make any adjustments or changes necessary to make no-till successful. Fortunately, most planters can be used for no-till with few, if any, modifications when paying attention to the following tips.

Maintain sharp openers.
Double-disk openers, if sharp and properly maintained, can cut through residue without coulters or residue movers.  Adjust the disk openers so they work together as a single cutting edge with about 2 inches of blade contact on the standard disks or about 1½ inches on the heavy-duty, thicker disks. (Staggered disks should be adjusted to just touch.) When replacing the disk openers, also replace the seed tube protector as it holds the disks apart to reduce blade flexing and acts as a scraper to help keep the disks clean. If hair pinning residue is a problem, increase the planting depth some to improve the residue cutting angle of the disks.

Don't seed between the old rows.
By planting down the old rows, the seeds will be placed in the most biologically active area of the field (Figure 2). The decaying roots from last year leave channels in the soil for the new roots to grow in. Avoid planting in the heart of the wheel track from last year as that is the most compacted area in the field. Planting about 4 inches to the side of the old row works well for corn on corn where uniform depth control is critical. This also reduces tire wear compared to driving on the root stumps to plant between the old rows.

Watch planting speed.
Keep the speed around 5 miles per hour to reduce planter unit bounce and deliver the seeds uniformly. Be wary of ads that say a planter can "meter seed" at 7 to 8 mph. That doesn't mean it can deliver the seeds to the soil uniformly at higher speeds, especially on rough fields.  Often the resulting non-uniformity from operating at higher speeds reduces yields enough to justify a larger planter (or a second planter) to complete planting in a timely manner.

Increase the down pressure.
The residue of no-till, especially in hard, dry soil, requires down pressure springs and extra weight (as necessary) on the planter to cut through and penetrate the soil to achieve desired seeding depth.  Enough down pressure should be on the row units to make sure that the depth gauging wheels are actually gauging planting depth.  Check the down pressure on the row units as conditions change to avoid over-compacting wet soils, creating sidewall compaction.

Place seeds at a uniform depth.
Make sure all the seeds are placed at the bottom of the seed-vee into good soil moisture for uniform emergence. Keeton Seed Firmers or Schaffert Rebounders are recommended for a more uniform planting depth for more uniform emergence. These units also provide convenient in-furrow fertilizer application options. The Keeton Seed Firmers also improve seed-to-soil contact as the name implies.

Keep residue uniform.
Consider residue movers on the planter to "even up" and create a uniform residue layer, especially if the residue was not uniformly spread during harvest or some residue was drifted by the wind. However, if the residue cover is already uniform, such as in long-term no-till, residue movers can do more harm than good. In these cases, the movers break residue loose from the soil and some of the residue can then blow back over the row, creating non-uniform conditions. In addition, some of the emerging corn may leaf out under the residue and have difficulty surviving.

Close the seed-vee. 
The seed-vee should be properly closed for good seed-to-soil contact and to reduce drying out of the seed zone. Spoked closing wheels are often added to planters to help close the seed-vee. They serve three purposes:
-    drying the soil with tillage,
-    closing the seed-vee while fracturing the sidewall, and
-    providing loose soil above the seed.

The loose soil created by the spoked wheels reduces the chances of the seed-vee opening back up as the soil dries, especially on wet clay soils. However, depending on the moisture situation, the tillage of the closing wheels might dry out the soil too much. In some cases, growers get better results using one spoked wheel and one regular closing wheel. Also, some closing wheel brands have less aggressive spokes than others and some provide some soil firming to reduce drying.

Level the planter. 
The planter should be level to slightly tail down in back, with the toolbar at the proper height so that the parallel links run parallel to the soil surface (FIgure 3). If the planter runs nose down, the openers will tend to bulldoze and may plug with residue. When operated tail down, the cutting edge on the double disk openers is in a better position to cut residue on the soil surface. Also, as the planter runs nose down, the tail assembly of the closing wheels doesn't run level. As the pivot point of the closing wheel arm gets lower (either by leveling the planter tail down or by planting deeper), the angled closing wheels have more of a pinching action and they will do a better job of closing the seed-vee.

Consider planting deeper.
Planting the seeds deeper puts them into a more buffered soil environment with a more uniform soil temperature and soil moisture. This improves uniformity of emergence which increases yields. Also, by planting deeper, the root system is better established, improving standability and allowing the plant to better handle stresses. Corn should be planted at least 2 inches deep as most corn planters were designed for planting depths of 2 to 3 inches. Consider the 3-inch planting depth in dry years and low residue conditions to reduce the chances of the seed zone drying out.



Branstad, Reynolds to Lead Trade Missions to South Korea, Brazil

Governor Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds announced Monday that they will lead trade missions to South Korea and Brazil respectively. Both trips are aimed at expanding trade and investment opportunities and are being coordinated by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA).

Brazil is Iowa's fifth-largest trading partner, with exports exceeding $500 million in manufactured and value-added goods in 2014. South Korea is Iowa's ninth-largest export destination, with exports close to $367 million in manufactured and value-added goods during the same period. The Governor and Lt. Governor have led trade missions to both destinations in the past.

"We have reaped benefit from previous trade missions and look forward to building on the foundations we have laid in the past," said Governor Branstad. "Trade missions like this one allow Iowa companies to expand their export markets outside of the U.S. and ultimately create more jobs here at home."

Iowa companies in all industry sectors are participating or will be invited to participate in these trade missions. Companies will have one-on-one, pre-qualified appointments targeted to their objectives, whether that is developing or expanding direct export sales, locating distributors or agents, or conducting market research, among other goals. Company recruitment for the Brazil mission has already concluded, while recruitment for the South Korea mission will begin shortly.

"These trade missions will help build on Iowa's success in exporting to Brazil and South Korea and will continue to strengthen our partnership with these countries," said Lt. Governor Reynolds. "With a record-breaking $15.1 billion in exports last year, Iowa is truly prospering from international trade. It is important that we continue this positive momentum."

Under Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds, Iowa's exports have increased by nearly 39 percent, from $10.8 billion to $15.1 billion.

The Brazil mission will take place April 25-May 2 and is comprised of visits to Sao Paulo and Ribeirão Preto. The South Korea mission is scheduled for Sept. 7-13 with Seoul being the primary destination for this mission. Highlights for both missions include exploring foreign direct investment opportunities, meetings with government and industry association officials, briefings on each market and Growing Iowa's Global Partnerships events. Iowa companies will participate in meetings specific to their market entry or expansion needs.

The IEDA not only markets Iowa products and services, educates Iowa businesses on exporting and assists global companies wishing to establish or expand operations in Iowa, but also explores opportunities internationally for investment within the state. To find out more about these services or other trade missions that the IEDA is planning, please visit www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/Programs/Intl.



Apply Now for NCGA Key Leadership Training Programs

The National Corn Growers Association invites farmers to become a part of the change they desire by actively honing their leadership skills through two leadership programs co-sponsored by Syngenta. Deadlines loom for these programs, and growers must be nominated by their state corn association.

Open to all NCGA membership, Leadership At Its Best provides training to interested volunteers of all skill levels.  The first session, held in August in Minneapolis, Minn., addresses personal communications skills, public speaking and association management.  The second session, which will be held in January 2016, addresses public policy issues, working with the Hill and parliamentary procedure.  Through this program, participants build the skill set needed to become a more confident public speaker with a solid background in the procedures and processes used by NCGA and many state organizations.

With applications due April 10, interested members should contact their state associations now for further information and get completed applications in to state offices by April 8. Participants must be registered members of NCGA.  Those interested should contact their state corn organization which will submit nominees for the programs.

Advanced Leadership
NCGA also invites graduates of the Leadership At Its Best Program the opportunity to further refine their leadership skills through the Advanced Leadership Program. With two sessions, Advanced Leadership provides intensive training that will hone their media, leadership and lobbying skills, and prepare participants to lead the industry.

Advanced Leadership training aims to help develop top-notch state and national leadership that is empowered to elevate the leaders around them within the industry and their communities. States may nominate two applicants, one as a primary candidate and one alternate. Nominees must be a member of NCGA, a graduate of Leadership at Its Best, and about to assume, or already in, a senior national or state leadership post.

The first session of the Advanced Leadership will take place in Greensboro, N.C., in September. During this session, participants will focus on leadership and communications skills and association management. The second session, held in January 2016, in Washington D.C., will include rigorous media training, a deeper review of key public policy issues and a focus on communicating with consumers.

Participants must be registered members of NCGA.  Those interested should contact their state corn organization, which will submit nominees for the program, by May 1.



Retail Fertilizer Prices Fairly Steady

Retail fertilizer prices remain steady at the start of the Corn Belt's application season, according to retailers tracked by DTN for the fifth week of March 2015.

The one exception during the month of March was 10-34-0, which has seen its retail price move 25% higher compared to a year ago. Retailers cite concerns about the availability of an acid used to make the fertilizer. This has raised supply issues for 10-34-0 as well as high prices for the rapidly approaching spring planting season.

Despite concern, 10-34-0 jumped only slightly in this week's survey, as did four other fertilizers. 10-34-0 had an average price of $642 per ton, MAP $598/ton, potash $491/ton, anhydrous $708/ton and UAN28 $333/ton.

Three fertilizers slipped compared to the previous month, and none were down significantly. DAP had an average price of $569/ton, urea $462/ton and UAN32 $370/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.50/lb.N, anhydrous $0.43/lb.N, UAN28 $0.59/lb.N and UAN32 $0.58/lb.N.

Starter fertilizer is the only one of the eight major fertilizers that remains double digits higher in price compared to March-April 2014, all while commodity prices are significantly lower from a year ago. 10-34-0 is 25% higher compared to last year.

Two other fertilizers are slightly more expensive compared to a year earlier. Anhydrous is 7% more expensive while potash is 3% higher compared to a year earlier.

The remaining five nutrients are now lower compared to retail prices from a year ago. MAP is 1% less expensive, DAP is 2% lower, UAN28 is down 5%, UAN32 is now 7% less expensive and urea is 15% less expensive from a year earlier.



As Fair Season Approaches, New ‘Learn About Livestock’ Banners a Timely Option

The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture’s newest product, “Learn About Livestock” barn banners, was developed for use at fairs and livestock shows. The banners feature key information about major livestock species related to production, lifecycle, the environment, how farmers care for animals and safety.

Banners featuring information about dairy cattle, beef cattle, goats, sheep, pigs and poultry are available and are a great way to add an ag literacy component to a fair or livestock show.

In response to an overwhelming number of requests for safety-related resources at last year’s International Association of Fairs and Expositions Conference, the banners provide “Wash-Talk-Walk” safety recommendations:
-    Wash your hands before and after handling animals
-    Toss food or drink before entering an animal area
-    Walk calmly and keep a safe distance from animals

Banners are available for individual or bulk purchase in two styles: retractable roll-up with case and hanging (with grommets). Logos may be added for an additional charge.

Livestock barn banners can be ordered through agfoundation.org (under Resources) or by emailing foundation@fb.org.



Cermetek Announces New Technology For Reducing Agricultural Water Use

Cermetek today announced new sensor technology, LeafMon. LeafMon allows growers for the first time to base irrigation decisions on a measure of plant hydration. Traditionally, growers irrigated on a schedule. More recently soil moisture sensors have enabled growers to irrigate only when the ground is dry. Now, LeafMon technology collects and analyzes new sensor data growers can use to base irrigation decisions on plant conditions. This technology will substantially reduce water use and permit the grower to maintain their plants in near ideal conditions that maximize crop quality and yield. LeafMon has been designed with the ultimate goal of empowering farmers to manage irrigation on a plant-by-plant basis for the most economic use of their available water resource.

LeafMon integrates a suite of environmental sensors and is installed on plants selected as representative of the grower's crop. The LeafMon unit is non-invasive and mounts to the plant without causing damage or requiring destruction of any leaves. Safeguarding the plant allows LeafMon to continuously monitor an individual plant throughout the growing season. LeafMon calculates the Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI) using a set of formulas that take into account the complex interactions of the environmental variables. Combining LeafMon with the Cermetek AquaMon Internet agricultural water management and control system gives the grower access to the plant health information on our web server from any tablet, laptop or smartphone. Patents are pending for the LeafMon technology.

"Today, some growers rely on a "pressure bomb" to get occasional plant stress readings," explains Cermetek President Henry Roskos. "They haul the pressure bomb out to the field, pluck a leaf from the tree, and run a test on that leaf. Each test takes 15 to 20 minutes and must be done at the peak of the day for accurate results. LeafMon eliminates the labor intensive special trips to the field and allows continuous monitoring without damaging the plant."

The LeafMon technology was developed under a US Department of Agriculture grant.  Cermetek expects to ship the first LeafMon products by late spring 2015. The initial products will target three of California's highest value crops: almonds, grapes and walnuts.

Cermetek Microelectronics designs, manufactures, and markets hardware and software for agricultural water management and control systems under the AquaMon brand. These systems provide a link between sensors and actuators installed in the field and the grower through software running on our secure web server. Growers access the sensor data and equipment in the field with any browser equipped laptop, tablet, or smartphone.  



Tyson Foods to Close Georgia Plant

Tyson Foods will close its poultry processing facility in Buena Vista, Ga., and end a third shift at its Dawson, Ga., plant.

The plant closing is part of the company’s strategy to increase efficiencies in its Georgia poultry business. Tyson said changing product needs, the age of the facility and prohibitive renovation costs were factors leading to the plant's closing.

Tyson said 190 employees at Buena Vista and another 70 individuals at the Dawson facility will be affected. The third shift will end April 10.

The company will work with state officials to inform employees about unemployment benefits and any potential re-training opportunities.



USDA Funding to Help Clean Waterways in Mississippi River Basin

Targeted conservation work in the Mississippi River basin will unite the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), farmers and local organizations to help clean waterways that flow into the nation's largest river. USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is investing $10 million this year in 27 new high-priority watersheds and 13 existing projects that will help improve water quality and strengthen agricultural operations. This investment is part of a commitment of $100 million over four years to address critical water quality concerns in priority watersheds while boosting rural economies.

"We know that when we target our efforts to the places most in need, we see stronger results," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. "These projects focus on watersheds in need, where we have opportunities to work with partners and farmers to get conservation work on the ground. "

NRCS worked with state agencies, farmers and other partners to identify high-priority watersheds that align with established state priorities and have strong partnerships in place — and where targeted conservation on agricultural land can make the most gains in improving local and regional water quality. Conservation systems implemented in these areas will reduce the amount of nutrients flowing from agricultural land into waterways, curb erosion and improve the resiliency of working lands in the face of droughts and floods. This investment builds on $18.5 million already allocated to projects in the basin in fiscal 2015.

These projects are funded through the agency's Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI), which uses funding from several Farm Bill conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), to help farmers adopt conservation systems to improve water quality and habitat and restore wetlands. Since MRBI's start in 2009, NRCS has worked with more than 600 partners and 5,000 private landowners to improve more than 1 million acres in the region. Through these partnerships, the initiative more than quadrupled the number of contracts addressing water quality concerns in targeted project areas.

Projects will be funded in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

"These projects put to work some of our core conservation practices, which we know are having tremendous impacts downstream," NRCS Chief Jason Weller said. "Putting to work NRCS-recommended conservation practices helps clean and conserve water, makes agricultural operations more resilient, and stimulates rural economies as this work often relies on help from biologists, foresters, pipe makers, dirt movers, welders, engineers and many more different professions to implement."

Conservation systems include practices that promote soil health, reduce erosion and lessen nutrient runoff, such as cover crops, reduced tillage and nutrient management; waste management systems that treat agricultural waste and livestock manure; irrigation systems that capture and recycle nutrients back to the field; and wetland restoration that increases wildlife habitat, mitigates flooding, and improves water quality.

Findings from a 2014 report by the USDA's Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) show that conservation work on cropland in the Mississippi River basin has reduced the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus flowing to the Gulf of Mexico by 18 and 20 percent, respectively. CEAP models have also shown that the targeted approach of MRBI has enhanced the per-acre conservation benefit by 70 percent for sediment losses, 30 percent by nitrogen losses, and 40 percent for phosphorus losses, when compared to general program activities.

Meanwhile, watersheds prioritized by MRBI have shown clear successes in helping to improve water quality. For example, two stream segments in the St. Francis River watershed in Arkansas have been removed from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's list of impaired streams.