 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
THE DROP
A monthly e-newsletter from the North Central Region Water Network
July 2024
|
|
|
|
|
Network News
It feels like it is officially conference season! Last week was the Soil and Water Conservation Society Annual Conference and this week we are headed to the North Central Agriculture and Climate Conference. Then in August we will be attending the Growing Outreach Conference hosted by the National Wildlife Federation.
In addition, we are excited to announce that the Network and key partners are hosting two events this fall -
The Conservation Finance Ag Educator Training is being held in Arlington, Wisconsin September 16th and 17th. Educators will explore aggregated data on cover crops, reduced tillage, nutrient management and see cutting-edge research up close and personal at the US Dairy Forage Research Farm. Registration is now open!
Multistate partners from across the region are excited to announce the 2024 Climate, Water, and Equity Workshop October 9-11th in Minneapolis. This workshop is a follow-up conversation to the 2023 Climate, Water Equity, and Opportunity Workshop held in Denver. It will build on the work of the 2023 workshop and provide attendees the opportunity to build relationships with colleagues at different institutions, share their programs and perspectives, and draft a culturally grounded action plan for increasing coordinated climate and water-related extension, outreach, and research to positively impact BIPOC and underserved communities.
We invite you to join us at one or all of these upcoming events and we look forward to seeing many of you in-person in the next few months!
-The North Central Region Water Network team
| |
This edition of The Current Webinar Series will focus on a topic on a lot of our minds this summer - Aquatic Invasive Species. This webinar will feature Greg Conover with the Mississippi River Basin Regional Panel, Taaja Tucker-Silva with the Great Lakes Commission and Stuart Carlton with Purdue and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant. We will discuss regional coordination, stopping the internet trade of AIS, and the latest research on the impact of AIS outreach. Join us! Register
| |
Laura Nagengast grew up on a farm outside Bloomfield, Nebraska, a small farming community with a population of about 1,000 people. Surrounded by corn fields and livestock, as just a young girl Laura developed a strong interest in the environment and conservation practices. Little did she know her early years were so formative they would end up shaping her career.
After high school, Laura attended college at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, where she studied Anthropology and Women Studies. She then advanced to graduate studies at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), obtaining a Master’s of Public Health degree. During her time at UNMC, Laura worked as a graduate assistant for the Water, Climate, and Health Program. Read on
| |
The North Central Region Water Network is excited to announce the Climate, Water, and Equity Workshop: Continuing the Conversation, held from October 9-11, 2024, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This in-person event, preceding the First American Land-Grant Consortium Annual Conference, will focus on enhancing partnerships among land-grant professionals to improve climate and water-related outreach and research for BIPOC and underserved communities. The workshop builds on the 2023 Climate, Water, Equity and Opportunity Workshop, aiming to develop action plans and proposals for future funding. Registration is now open. Register now
| |
In The News
Upcoming Events
Algal Bloom Action Team Webinar:Resource stoichiometry and nutrient form influences growth and cyanotoxin quotas in diverse cyanobacteria
August 7, 2024, 11AM CT
In this webinar hosted by the Algal Bloom Action Team, Nicole Wagner with Oakland University will explore how anthropogenic nutrient enrichment and imbalances of nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratios affect the eco-physiology and cyanotoxin concentration and quotas in cyanobacteria bloom-forming genera. This topic will be explored at different scales from manipulative controlled laboratory experiments to whole ecosystem high-frequency monitoring. Learn more
The State of HAB Monitoring: Data-Driven Approaches to HAB Management
August 15, 2024, 12PM CT
This online event, presented by the Great Lakes HABs Collaborative and Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA), features interactive panel discussions with cross-sector experts on approaches to collecting, managing, and leveraging data related to Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). The free, virtual forum will cover topics from emerging technology trends to the application of HAB data for impact. Learn more
How to Help Growers Start
August 21, 2024, 2PM CT
Join the Soil Health Nexus for their August Digital Cafe where Lee Briese, an independent crop consultant who has weekly scouted over 1.25 million crop acres, will discuss how growers can get started with minimal tillage or no-till, cover crops and intercropping while keeping their risks low. Register
Funding and Opportunities
Senior Soil Health and Biochar Scientist Opening
The Climate and Soil Health Initiative at American Farmland Trust is hiring a Senior Soil Health and Biochar Scientist This role will support national climate, soil health, and biochar efforts, aiming to create climate-smart, resilient, and sustainable agriculture. The position involves leading program development, data analysis, and research to advance regenerative soil health systems and support policy advocacy. Applications will be reviewed starting in early August. Learn more
NCR SARE Research and Education Grant Application Open
The 2025 North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR-SARE) Research and Education Grant Program Call for Preproposals is now available. NCR-SARE’s Research and Education (R&E) program supports sustainable agriculture innovators with competitive research and education grants. Individual grants range from $50,000 to $250,000. They anticipate that roughly $3.75 million will be available to fund approximately 15 grant projects, with individual grants not to exceed $250,000 total for projects lasting up to three years (36 months). Learn more
Lower St. Croix Ag Outreach Specialist
The Lower St Croix Watershed Partnership (LSCP) is seeking a highly motivated and engaging individual to conduct agricultural-related outreach and education in the Lower St. Croix Basin, which includes Chisago, Washington, Isanti, Pine, and Anoka Counties in MN. The goal of this position is to help farmers, crop advisors, and others adopt practices that improve water quality, enhance groundwater, expand habitat, and conserve soil resources to achieve the goals of the Lower St. Croix Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan. Learn more
News
Farmers needed for climate change impact on Michigan field crops farms
A newly funded Agricultural Climate Resiliency project entitled, “Ensuring the Success of Michigan Farms in the Face Climate Change,” funded through a partnership that includes Michigan State University, Michigan State University Extension, the Michigan Plant Coalition, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is looking to partner with select row-crop farmers across Michigan. Learn more
Farm to Trouble: As Conservation Lags, so Does Progress in Slashing Gulf’s ‘Dead Zone’
The cover crop that blankets Dan Voss’ farmland from late fall into the spring comforts the Eastern Iowa farmer because he knows heavy spring rain won’t wash away his topsoil. These off-season crops also soak up excess fertilizer. But for every Dan Voss, there are a thousand U.S. farmers not growing cover crops or using other conservation practices shown to reduce runoff. Learn more
Addressing the Underlying Causes of Water Quality Degradation
Examining nitrogen sourcing options and how plants acquire nutrients in healthy soil reveals crucial insights. Nitrate and ammonium are the two primary inorganic forms of nitrogen taken up by crops. Nitrate, highly soluble and negatively charged, is prone to leaching as it does not adhere to clay particles, traveling wherever water goes. In contrast, ammonium, which also dissolves in water but carries a positive charge, sticks to clay particles and is less likely to leach. Understanding these differences is essential for determining the right nitrogen source for crops. Learn more
| |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
