Agriculture is in the blast zone of a larger national topic, and that is the Biden Administration?s push on climate change and the improvements in various sectors needed to make that happen. Agriculture has a large part in the maintenance of soil and water quality. Many farmers have already taken the first steps to improve their sustainability practices, while some are still on the fence about starting. However, as incentives are being considered to make the improvements, we may see more farmers signing on for the future.
But what does that mean for the average soybean producer in Iowa?
Wayne Fredericks is on the American Soybean Association (ASA) Board of Directors and an Osage, Iowa farmer. He talks with me about the topic of conservation. He says the number of producers starting practices is going up, but there is still a long way to go.
Fredericks talks about the incentives that are available for producers looking to get into more conservation practices. Many of the cost-share options out there are more than enough to help with the education that farmers will need to have.
Fredericks says that farmers who are new to conservation and sustainability practices should not try to go it alone. He urges producers to talk to others who are already doing the work and find out the lessons they learned as they got started. The last thing that he wants to see is someone fail at the endeavor and become frustrated. Because that news will get back to others at the local coffee shop.
Fredericks says the benefits will not only be seen in the environment, but also in the producer?s bottom line. However, the solutions are by no means one-size-fits-all. That is the message that ASA is trying to get across in Washington. The solutions are as diverse as the croplands on which we farmers are growing their products.
To learn more about the sustainability efforts being spearheaded by the American Soybean Association, log on to their website.
