Wisconsin Ag Connection - Farmers Recognized for CSP Conservation Achievements

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Farmers Recognized for CSP Conservation Achievements
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 02/20/2013

Four local participants of the Conservation Stewardship Program were recognized by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture during the DATCP's monthly board meeting for exemplary soil and water conservation efforts on their farms.

State Agriculture Secretary Ben Brancel presented David Meyer, River Falls; Heather Flashinski, Cadott; and Kathy Ruggles and John Thomas, Downsville with plaques for practicing good conservation on Wisconsin's working lands.

"It's important to preserve farmland, but it's just as important to preserve the quality of that land, so it keeps on producing for the future," Brancel said. "These producers are leading the way, showing that you can protect our land and waters and still have a profitable enterprise."

The CSP is a voluntary program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. The program accepts producers who already practice good stewardship on their crop, grazing and forest lands, and offers incentives to them to take additional steps. The award winners had the highest-scoring applications in the last ranking period.

Meyer custom raises dairy heifers in Pierce County, along with raising cattle, grain and hay. He uses conservation practices to control erosion next to a high-value trout stream, and fencing to keep livestock out of the stream while allowing wildlife to pass through.

Flashinski is a beginning farmer in Chippewa County who grazes cattle and chickens. In addition to these and other conservation practices already in place, she planted a tree border and improved her pastures by interseeding legumes.

Ruggles and Thomas farm in a high-risk area of Dunn County between two ox bow lakes. They have restored 20 acres to prairie, manage their forest land, and are targeting five acres for invasive species removal.

Last year, nearly 500 Wisconsin farmers and forest landowners enrolled in the Conservation Stewardship Program, collecting an average payment of more than $6,400 for a total of $3 million.

Now in its third year in Wisconsin, the program has enrolled over 760,000 acres. Nationwide, more than 50 million acres are in the program.

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