1. Green Lands, Blue Waters A Vision and Roadmap for the Next Generation of Agricultural Systems

2. Farris et al, Iowa DNR

5. DNR Farris et al, Iowa DNR

6. Minnesota Harvested Soybean and Alfalfa Acreages

7. Portion of total MN Crop land in Corn and Bean Production

8. Corn and Soybean acreage 11 County South Central Minnesota Gyles Randall,2003

9. May 3 - 16 April 5 - 18 Areas of perennial vegetation Areas of annual Row cropping 2002 Growing Season

10. June 28 – July 11 May 31 – June 13 2002 Growing Season

11. October 4 - 17 July 26 – August 8 2002 Growing Season

12. Cottonwood River Watershed Precipitation and Runoff

13. Annual Tile Drainage Loss in Corn-Soybean Rotation Waseca, 1987-2001 Gyles Randall, 2003

14. Corn and Soybean Nitrate-N Loss Concentrations Tile drainage system U of MN - Lamberton Gyles Randall, 2003

15. (from Dinnes et al., 2002)

17. Mississippi River Sedimentation

19. Rabalais et al. 2000 Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico

20. Gulf Hypoxia: Area (mi 2 ) Areal Extent of Bottom-Water Hypoxia in Mid-Summer no data Action Plan Goal Long Term Average 5-year Average Source: Nancy Rabalais, LUMCON

21. January 2001 -0 -5,000 -10,000 -20,000 -15,000 -25,000 Square Kilometers GOAL: By the year 2015, subject to the availability of additional resources, reduce the 5-year running average areal extent of the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone to less than 5,000 square kilometers

22. Diversification of Agricultural Landscape Systems Chippewa River Wells Creek

23. Cultivated Land Grassland Deciduous Forest Urban 80% in cultivation and includes a portion of Montevideo Catchment size: 17,994 ha Chippewa River Land Use

24. Four Scenarios D Managed year-round vegetative cover Cover crops, increased managed grazing, prairie restoration, 90 m buffers A Extension of current trends Increased field size, focus on annual crop production B Adoption of best management practices Shift to conservation tillage, use recommended nutrient application rates,30 m riparian buffers C Expand diversity Five year crop rotation, more grazing Wetland restoration

26. -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 Change from Baseline (%) Wells Creek Chippewa River Scenario A Scenario B Scenario C Scenario D Surface Runoff

27. Habitat and Bird Species Richness From Best, L, et al. American Midland Naturalist, Vol 134, No 1, July 95 (1- 29

28. Green Lands, Blue Waters A Vision and Roadmap for the Next Generation of Agricultural Systems

29. Initiative Vision To improve water quality in the Mississippi River Basin, increase economic options and profitability for farmers, improve wildlife habitat, reduce flooding potential, strengthen vitality and quality of life of rural communities, and enhance human health.

30. Initiative Mission To support development of and transition to a new generation of agricultural systems in the Mississippi River Basin that integrate more perennial plants and other continuous living cover into the agricultural landscape.

31. Objectives : Develop and promote profitable enterprises Build Capacity of stakeholders regarding continuous living cover systems and water quality; Significantly expand the knowledge base regarding continuous living cover systems and their impacts and potential Coordinate and build on related new and existing activities Heighten visibility and increase financial support of and focus on continuous living cover systems Identify and promote supporting policy changes

32. Potential Ecosystem Services Provided by Perennial Cropping Systems Nutrient Cycling, Flood Management, Natural Pest Management, Soil Health,Wildlife Diversity, Water Quality, Erosion Control, Carbon Management, Climate Mediation

33. Grazing Systems Perennial ryegrass Winter hardiness, Seed production, Rotational grazing Illinois bundleflower and other native legumes Mixed warm season grass- rotational grazing systems

34. Biomass Energy Willows, Salix sp. Alfalfa, Medicago sativa, JoAnn Lamb USDA- ARS St. Paul Perennial sunflower, Helianthus sp. Perennial flax, Linum perenne Native legumes, False indigo, Amorpha fruticosa

35. Trees and Shrubs Willows, Salix sp. Decorative and energy Hybrid popular, Populus sp. Energy and fiber Hazelnuts, Corylus avellana x C. americana and C. cornuta Oil, confectionary, and energy

36. Perennial Native Legumes 50 species preliminary evaluation Winter hardiness 10 species more detailed studies Production and selection Feeding trials—swine Antioxidants—Food, fuel, feed and cosmetics Antimicrobial—Food, cosmetics and feed

37. Oil Seed Crops Perennial flax, Linum sp. Perennial sunflower, Helianthus sp.

38. Wetland Restoration Willow, Salix sp. Nitrogen harvesting, energy, water retention Native wetland species Unique industrial chemicals, wildlife habitat-hunting

39. Cover Crops Red clover, Trifolium pratense Winter rye, Secale cereale, Paul Porter Brassica sp. Alfalfa, Medicago sativa Birdsfoot trefoil, Lotus corniculatus Native legumes April 30, 1999

40. Advantages to Production Agriculture Improve environmental performance Improve economic diversity/profitability Keep working lands working Adopt a non-regulatory, long term strategy

41. Strategy 1 Involve diverse stakeholders –Audubon Society, Upper Mississippi Basin Initiative –Illinois Stewardship Alliance –Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy –The Land Institute –Land Stewardship Project –Mississippi River Basin Alliance –Minnesota/Iowa Farmers Union –The Nature Conservancy, Upper Mississippi Basin Project –Trout Unlimited –Practical Farmers of Iowa –Rural Advantage Governmental Agencies Active: –US Environmental Protection Agency –USDA/US Forest Service –Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

42. Strategy 2: Engage land-grant institutions –The University of Illinois –Iowa State University, including the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture –Louisiana State University** –North Dakota State University –University of Minnesota –University of Wisconsin ** indicates intent to sign letter of participation

43. Strategy 3: Organize at the Watershed, State & Basin Levels Watershed Learning Groups (Underway/EPA Grant Pending) –Initially focus on two watersheds/state –Develop learning groups State Coordinating Committees (Federal Leopold) –Representatives from learning groups and the consortium –Responsible for planning, implementing and monitoring in that state Multi-state consortium ( Charter Partners & McKnight) –Land-grants, NGOs, and government agencies –Responsible for overall planning, monitoring and budget oversight

44. Strategy 4: Targeting a portion of the most environmentally sensitive lands will maximize the environmental benefit Strategy 5: Develop Supporting Infrastruture Market – Technical – Financial Social – Human - Policy

45. Strategy 6: Imbed in Mainstream Thought Strategy 7: Rely on Voluntary Approaches

46. Current Activities Developing state committees Inventory of related research and activities Great Lakes Research Team to develop research priorities Working with McKnight Foundation to improve national visibility of Mississippi AAAS Symposium in February of 2006 Federal earmark request of $6.2 million

47. Ten-Year Outcomes Development of new crops, products, and associated markets for products of continuous living cover systems Increased continuous living cover on the agricultural landscape in the Mississippi River Basin Reduced N loading from agricultural production at the watershed level by 30% Reduced number of impaired waters in the watersheds Increased migratory waterfowl and neo-tropical songbird populations at the watershed level by 30% or more. Shrinkage of the hypoxic zone from its 2002 level

48. Budget On the scale of $105 million over ten years

49. Photo courtesy of USDA NRCS www.greenlandsbluewaters.org