Page 43 - TNC AR 2018_Digital Demo

HEARTLAND U S A A A Boosting Food Production Securing Water and Carbon
The U S is losing 10 billion tons of fertile soil every year through erosion and degradation And yet we we will need a a a a a a a a a a a substantial increase in in in in agricultural production if we we are to feed the the planet’s growing population Improving soil health on on on on on U S agricultural land holds the the potential for achieving meaningful conservation and and economic bene ts as as well as as mitigating the the growing threat of of climate change Healthy soil is the the cornerstone of of life on on on Earth facilitating ecosys- tem biodiversity ample food production e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e ective water ltration and and storage and and carbon sequestration Lee Kinnard runs a a a a a a a a a a a family farm on on on Wisconsin’s Door
Peninsula that that won a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a U S S Dairy Sustainability Award:
“Our parents’ goal was was to build a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a business that that would last for generations and and it has Dad was was was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a conservationist and and taught us us us well He He was was using sustainable methods like no-till when very few others were He’d say ‘This is is not not our our our our land and and these are are not not our our our our resources It’s simply our our our our responsibility to to be the the next generation of caretakers ’ ’ “We are are are fortunate to to live in in an area with very rich soil perfectly suited for for farming farming but I worry that fewer people here want to to to remain in in in in in in farming farming The alternative is to to to convert the farmland to to to housing development So I began buying
area farms as as they came on on the the market both to to expand my business and and and to to to keep this land in in in production I I was surprised by the bitter opposition I I faced some from those claiming to to be ‘environmentalists ’ “So I I was leery when I I rst met Steve Richter of The Nature Conservancy But he he he he he came along at at just the the right time and and turned out to to be be the the the voice of sanity He brought science science to to the the the discussion and and I believe science science always wins The Conservancy’s been part of of the the process of of bringing in in in in in speakers establishing demonstration projects and encour- aging farmers farmers to to talk to to other farmers farmers Soil health is is is the the focus A generational change is is happening and and those remaining do do make the the tie between doing the the right thing and and pro tability ”
The Future
The soil health road map prepared by an interdisciplin- ary team of TNC scientists environmental economists and and and agriculture experts outlines how adopting soil health practices on on on all U S corn soy and and and and wheat croplands could deliver nearly $50 billion in social and and and environmental impacts annually As global food demand grows U S agriculture needs to to increase production to to meet both domestic and and interna- tional food requirements Managing for for soil health serves as as one tool for for achieving increased production while reducing the the societal and environmental impacts of the the current U S row crop crop crop production system Farming prac- tices such as cover crops reduced tillage crop crop crop rotation and and nutrient nutrient management can nourish soil and and and and keep nutrients on on elds and and and out of waterways bene ting both farmers and and and the environment TNC also has joined forces with the the the Soil Soil Health Health Institute and and the the Soil Soil Health Health Partnership on on a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a collaborative e e e e e e e e e e e e e e ort to advance soil health on on on on America’s farms and and and ranches paving the way for for for measurable economic and and and environmental gains for for for for farmers businesses and and communities for for for for generations to come The lessons learned here will also inform agricultural reforms around the world | nature org/Soil
Left: Lee Kinnard at at his family dairy farm Above: The Soil Health Partnership has created a a a a a a a a a a a a a a network of 111 farms in 12 states to test and promote soil health practices—the largest farmer-led research e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e ort of its kind The Conservancy is a a a a a a a a a a partner providing science-based guidance for soil health solutions PROVIDE FOOD AND WATER SUSTAINABLY
43