Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on Tuesday that EPA and USDA have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the state of Minnesota to develop a new state program for farmers designed to increase the voluntary adoption of conservation practices that protect local rivers, streams and other waters by reducing fertilizer run-off and soil erosion. Through this partnership, producers who undertake a substantial level of conservation activities to reduce nutrient run-off and erosion will receive assurance from the state that their farms will meet Minnesota’s water quality standards and goals during the life of the agreement.
AFBF is concerned about provisions of the joint agreement and plans to send a letter to Vilsack addressing those issues.
USDA and EPA will offer support to Minnesota in developing its certainty process for water quality improvements on private agricultural lands and eligible tribal lands in high priority watersheds. Eventually, USDA and its partners hope to duplicate this success in addressing water quality on agricultural lands across the nation.
