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Minnesota Water Quality Research Farms Network

The WRC is exploring the feasibility of establishing a network of on-farm research and demonstration farms with the purpose of improving water quality by bridging the gap between plot-level research and practical application. Funding for the feasibility study is provided by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

  1. Stakeholder Input Meetings
  2. What Would an On-farm Research Network Look Like?
  3. Project Status
  4. For More Information

Stakeholder Input Meetings

Attend one of the meetings below to tell us what you think. At each session, you will hear about possible designs for a Minnesota Water Quality Research Farms Network, learn from the experiences of Wisconsin Discovery Farms participants, and have the opportunity to discuss your ideas and concerns.

No pre-registration is necessary.

Date: February 19, 2008

City: Waite Park
Time: 1:00 to 3:30
Marketplace Mall, 110 2nd St. S., Room 307

Date: March 18, 2008

City: Lamberton
Time: 2:00 to 4:30
Southwest Research and Outreach Center (map)

Date: March 19, 2008

City: Rochester
Time: 1:00 to 3:30
Rochester Community and Technical College,
Heintz Center, Room HA 104/121.
1926 Collegeview Drive SE. (map)

What Would an On-farm Research Network Look Like?

This is one of the questions the feasibility study is addressing. There are many possible ways to design an on-farm research network.

Stakeholder engagement is key

. . . especially from the agricultural producers. To produce information that is meaningful on real farms and has real water quality implications, the project needs involvement from

  • the agricultural community,
  • the research community,
  • environmental stewardship groups, and
  • government and educational entities.

Proposed features

Several principles guide the initial study of an on-farm network. These will be refined with the involvement of stakeholders.

  • Create a real link between research and on-farm applications.
  • Generate measurable improvements in water quality by reducing non-point pollution.
  • Use full-scale commercial farms to monitor water quality and farm profitability associated with land management practices.
  • Producers lead the process of designing projects and identifying practical solutions.
  • The research community designs scientifically sound protocols.
  • A core function of the program will be education and outreach to get economically and environmentally sound practices on the landscape.

Wisconsin Discovery Farms

The Wisconsin Discovery Farms program (http://uwdiscoveryfarms.org/) is a working example of on-farm water quality research and demonstrations. The Discovery Farms were established in 2001 on real working commercial farms, selected by a team of people from the University of Wisconsin, state and federal agencies, and private sector partners including farmers, producer groups, and environmental organizations. Currently, there are eight core Discovery Farms strategically located in different geographic areas representing the scope of environmental challenges faced by Wisconsin farmers. Each farm is managed by its owner who works with researchers and outreach specialists on integrated research and education projects to collect data about the impacts of different farming and production practices on soil, air, and water quality. Core farms can expect to work with the program for 5-7 years. New core farms are added on a regular basis. Other farms may take part in shorter, special projects that address specific environmental concerns.

Research: During the initial phase of each Discovery Farms project, baseline data is collected for soil nutrient tests, runoff water analysis, manure analysis, odor emissions, and others. Once the baseline is recorded, studies are designed to address specific questions identified by local committees. Specialists track changes in environmental and financial factors resulting from adoption of best management practices and changes in environmental regulations.

Outreach: Outreach is a critical component of the Discovery Farms. Research-based information is disseminated by Extension Specialists and partners to farmers, consultants, agribusinesses, and regulators through Extension publications, media outlets, field day events and demonstrations, and meetings of producer organizations. Over 15,000 producers were reached directly in meetings and workshops in 2004 alone.

Project Status:

(Updated January 2008) The outcome of this project is a report due June 30, 2008 summarizing findings and recommendations. The recommendations will take the best of the programs around us as agreed to by the stakeholders, build on existing strengths, and mold them into a program that addresses the particular characteristics of Minnesota agriculture. The report will be based on three major information sources:

Learn from the experiences of the Wisconsin Discovery Farms Initiative

We’ve toured a Discovery Farm site, visited with directors and participants, and gathered documentation from throughout the history of the program.

Assess existing on-farm water quality research in Minnesota

We are preparing an inventory and comparison of Minnesota on-farm research sites. The sites are being assessed for their potential as future research sites.

Gather input from stakeholders

Stakeholder organizations need to learn about the potential for an on-farm network, decide how they would like to be engaged in the project, and help determine the goals and structure of the network.

Public forums are being planned for February and March 2008 to explain the project and alternatives, and to gather input from stakeholders.

For More Information:

Ann Lewandowski
Water Resources Center
University of Minnesota
E-mail: alewand@umn.edu
Office Phone: 612-624-6765