Promoting New Partnerships and Cover Crop Choices in the Great Lakes Region

Researchers, educators and farmers from the Great Lakes States and Iowa came together at Innovations in Cover Crops and Perenniality, a multi-state cover crop summit hosted by Michigan State University’s Kellogg Biological Station. Many of the participants have been working on pieces of the perennial/cover crop puzzle for years, and the summit provided an opportunity to share their experiences and data and to explore more efficient mechanisms to deliver new information to farmers and stakeholders. The summit also covered practical cover technologies and promoted new partnerships in research, education, and additional resource opportunities.
A new community of practice has been formed including a very broad base of backgrounds (researchers, educators, and innovative farmers). It has already enhanced participants’ ability to receive future support and develop research projects, and will continue to work to increase and enhance the region’s current perennials/cover cropping systems. Perhaps most importantly it has called attention to this critical issue throughout the region, and has established a framework for future efforts. The long-term goal of the project is to create significant changes in farming practices that improve soils, and reduce leaching and nutrient runoff into water systems.

Contacts:

Dale Mutch
Michigan State University
(269) 671-2412 ext. 224
mutch@msu.edu

Eileen Kladivko
Purdue University
(765) 494-6372
kladivko@purdue.edu

Drainage Water Management for the Midwest Bulletin
Subsurface drainage is very common in the Great Lakes states, with the percentage of cropland that is drained estimated to be more than 30% in five of the six states. There are several water quality concerns related to subsurface drainage, the most critical being nitrate-N, a soluble N ion that moves wherever water moves. New drainage management systems have recently been developed to reduce nitrate loss due to agricultural drainage.

The new Drainage Water Management for the Midwest bulletin synthesizes current research on drainage water management technologies that reduce nitrate loss and provide the information in an accessible form. The key message of the publication is that new research and technologies are available to reduce nitrate losses from drained land. The publication responds to a clearly expressed need of many agencies including USDA NRCS, universities, EPA and state environmental agencies. It was funded by the Great Lakes Regional Water Program, and is a product of the multi-state Agricultural Drainage Management Systems (ADMS) Task Force, a partnership of ARS, NRCS, CSREES and Land Grant University researchers that focuses attention on new management practices that can mitigate the negative impact of drainage.

Eight thousand copies were printed and have been distributed regionally and nationally to Land Grant universities in the Midwest (MN, IL, IN, OH, WI, IA, and MO); NRCS state offices in the Great Lakes States; National Technology Support Centers (East, Central), the National Water and Climate Center, National Water Management Center, and National Headquarters; ARS National headquarters plus research units that work on drainage; industry (ADMC and manufacturers); and USEPA Headquarters. The publication has also been distributed at many events for decision-makers, agency staff, industry, and producers including the Upper Mississippi Hypoxia Nutrient Mgmt Subcommittee, USEPA Non-point Source Tour in Minnesota, National Irrigation Association, Innovations in Nonpoint Source Management conference, and it will be used in many Extension events this winter. The involvement by agencies such as EPA and NRCS in its review will enhance the widespread impact. This project has enhanced research/extension integration, through the synthesis of current research in a bulletin for target community audiences. Although university teaching is not a target outcome of the project, the bulletin may be useful in some courses. To access the bulletin, please see http://www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/WQ/WQ-44.pdf

Contact:

Jane Frankenberger
Purdue University
(765) 494-1194
frankenb@purdue.edu

Drainage Water Management
The Natural Resources Conservation Service awarded a $950,000 grant to a collaborative effort among Purdue University, the University of Illinois, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the University of Minnesota, the Ohio State University, Iowa State University, USDA - Agricultural Research Service, the National Corn Growers Association, and the Agricultural Drainage Management Coalition (ADMC) to study the impact of drainage water management systems on nutrient outflows and crop yields. Drainage water management systems have been shown to reduce nitrogen outflows by 30-60%, or more when paired with other conservation practices. The goal of the project is to promote and characterize drainage water management at larger scales than has previously taken place and over the entire Midwest region. This project builds on existing efforts and long-time collaboration to synthesize research results across the region and transfer the results to agencies that can use the results in decision-making. A database of the different sites, with their soil, crop, drainage system, slope, climate, and other relevant factors will be developed, and results from the different sites will be analyzed to explain similarities and differences in drainage water management effectiveness.

Contact:

Jane Frankenberger
Purdue University
(765) 494-1194
frankenb@purdue.edu