Press statement re: Gov. Mark Dayton's '25 by 2025' announcement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
To reduce water pollution 25 percent by 2025 we must change crop practices. We need crop diversity, farm drainage reforms, and new markets for sustainable, water-friendly perennial crops.
Feb. 3, 2017
St. Paul, MN: Friends of the Mississippi River is proud to have been a part of today’s Minnesota Environmental Congress at the University of Minnesota. We’re particularly grateful for and applaud Gov. Mark Dayton’s announcement of a new state goal: reducing pollution to Minnesota’s waters 25 percent by 2025.
“Achieving a 25 percent reduction in pollution to Minnesota’s waters is absolutely essential and achievable,” says FMR Executive Director Whitney Clark, “but business as usual won’t get us there. We must address the largest source of pollution to Minnesota’s waters: agricultural runoff.”
Agricultural cropland is by far the largest source of pollution to Minnesota waters yet remains exempt from Clean Water Act regulations. To reduce water pollution by one-fourth, significant changes to our agricultural systems and practices will be required.
“Improving management practices for fertilizers, nutrients and other chemicals that run off farm fields and into our waters is a good place to start, but even if fully implemented across Minnesota, this wouldn’t get us close to a 25 percent reduction,” says Clark. “We need to change our actual cropping practices. We have to diversify and replace a portion of intensive row crops like corn and soybeans with water-friendly perennial crops. Only this will deliver the kind of results that the Governor called for today. We’re grateful for Gov. Mark Dayton’s emphasis on this important issue, and look forward to working with the administration to advance new policies to meet this goal.”
The solutions? New crops, new markets and improved farm drainage.
While traditional voluntary conservation practices can help reduce farm runoff pollution, state research shows that achieving a 25 percent reduction in pollution requires much more.
Minnesota will need continuous living cover on the landscape — perennial crops and cover crops that protect the soil and reduce pollution year-round. New markets for these crops are also required so that farms remain profitable.
“Innovative perennial crops and cover crops not only improve water quality, they also restore soil health, reduce the impacts of climate change, and help provide critical habitat for wildlife like birds, bees and butterflies,” says FMR Water Program Director Trevor Russell. “Unfortunately, these crops currently aren't as profitable as traditional corn and soybean agriculture. We need greater investment in crop research, and new markets that make these water-friendly crops financially viable for farm operations.”
Reducing state water pollution by a quarter will also require reforms to farm drainage practices and systems. Today, farm operations flush water through underground pipes (drain tile) and into surface waters without treatment, carrying fertilizers and pesticides into receiving waters, including rivers, lakes and streams.
According to Russell, “State research shows we can’t achieve our water quality goals unless these farm drainage systems are retrofitted to treat their pollution at the end of the pipe. It’s time for the state to establish a water quality standard for pollution coming from these drainage systems, and hold farm operations accountable to that standard just like we hold other businesses accountable.”
FMR is calling on the Governor to restore our waters and improve our rural economy by:
1) Fully funding the University of Minnesota’s Forever Green Initiative to accelerate development of economically viable cover and perennial crops that enhance water quality, soil health and habitat while providing an economic return for producers. (Learn more at https://www.cfans.umn.edu/about/solutions/forever-green)
2) Invest in new markets for perennial crops and cover crops to accelerate the transition away from “leaky” annual crops like corn and soybeans. Perennial crops work for land, water and wildlife, but are not yet profitable for producers. Emerging markets for these new crops, including biofuels, green chemistry, energy production and livestock forage require State policies and incentives in time to meet the 25 percent by 2025 goal.
3) Require agricultural drainage systems to treat runoff pollution at the source. Agricultural drain tiles discharge large volumes of water along with pollutants that end up in our rivers, lakes and streams. In fact, tile drainage is the largest source of nitrate pollution to Minnesota’s surface waters. The state should establish a water quality standard for pollution coming from these drainage systems, and hold farm operations accountable to that standard.
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About FMR
Friends of the Mississippi River engages citizens to protect, restore and enhance the Mississippi River and its watershed in the Twin Cities region. Learn more at http://www.FMR.org. For more information about FMR’s legislative efforts, see http://www.FMR.org/legislative-updates.
To learn more about water quality of the Mississippi River, see the “State of the River Report” by Friends of the Mississippi River and the National Park Service Mississippi National River & Recreation Area:
http://stateoftheriver.com/state-of-the-river-report.
Media Contacts
Whitney Clark
Executive Director
612.812.7499 – mobile
651.222.2193 x13 – office
wclark@fmr.org
Trevor Russell
Water Program Director
612.388.8856 – mobile
651.222.2193 x18 – office
trussell@fmr.org