Guest post by Linda Prokopy and Belyna Bentlage Linda Prokopy is a Professor of Natural Resources Social Science and Belyna Bentlage is a Research Associate in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University. They conduct research on how to motivate farmers to adopt sustainable practices. There is an urgent and recognized need to address sustainability issues in agriculture, including but not limited to, soil health, greenhouse gas emissions, animal welfare, and water quality. The current trajectory of U.S. policy …
When is the cavalry going to respond?
Do you remember the old westerns of the good guy and the bad guys? Invariably the fight would start with a few good guys doing battle with a lot of bad guys. After the few good guys put up a valiant fight, the cavalry would be sent to rescue the valiant foot soldiers. I am waiting for the same thing to happen in conservation. If the foot soldiers are the conservation planning agencies and the bad guy is soil erosion, then who is the cavalry? I believe the cavalry is agri-business. If agri-business can figure out how to “make conservation …
What the hell am I doing here?
This is one of my favorite family photos. I have entitled this picture, “What the hell am I doing here.” Take another good look at this picture. Look at the closed eyes, the pursed lips, the locked knees, and the hands behind the back. At the tender age of 3, my daughter Jessica spoke volumes in this picture. She made no bones about it. She was somewhere where she didn’t want to be, doing something she didn’t want to do, and she wasn’t going to hide her feelings. I often wonder what would happen if adults openly shared this same level of …
Pay for Performance
Historically, cost-share has been awarded to farmers on a first come first serve basis, regardless of the environmental outcomes of the conservation practices. But what if the USDA didn’t base payments on the cost of the practice? What if the incentive payment was based on the performance of the practice instead? By paying for performance versus installation costs, farmers (as well as taxpayers) would have a more accurate way to measure their return on investment. Conservation program funds are in high demand in the United States, with the …
A new data layer for precision agriculture… that is publicly available
In the summer of 2013, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) launched the Floodplain Outreach Program. This program develops flood plain maps that show areas that are prone to flooding and scour erosion. With these maps, farmers and ag retailers can identify those flood plain acres that are expected to flood one half, one fifth, and one tenth of the years farmed. According to the Iowa DNR, flood plain mapping is the creation of new, comprehensive, accurate flood plain maps for Iowa cities and counties. The program has the potential to let …
The End or the Start?
This week I find myself sorting through a mountain of turbulent emotions. After a wonderful ride of 22 years, I am no longer the CEO of Agren. Last week, we inked a deal with a major agribusiness whereby they acquired Agren and our software. As I said, this announcement comes with a range of emotions. The process of selling Agren has come with feelings of sorrow and loss. I would be lying if I said this process has been easy. It is difficult to walk away from a life-time spent pursuing a passion and realizing the rewards of relationships …