Photograph by Joe Mac Hudspeth, Jr. · www.southernfocus.com
Magazine
Ol’ Man River Rolls with New Vision
Monsanto Company’s $5 million commitment funds bold conservation initiative
Photo by Andy McDaniel
The Mississippi River has been called an “ecological treasure” and an “economic powerhouse.” As a treasure, it should be protected from nutrients, and sediment from agricultural runoff, which, in turn, enhances wildlife habitat and keeps these valuable resources on the land where they belong. And as an economic powerhouse, this inland waterway system must remain viable as it carries tons of products, provides a tremendous recreational boost in the economy and plays an important role as an agricultural resource.
The light of good intentions surrounding these goals – transporting cleaner water into the Gulf of Mexico while helping agriculture remain sustainable and profitable – glows like the reflection of a beautiful sunset on the Mighty Mississippi. However, turning these goals into reality goes way beyond conjuring up a warm and fuzzy feeling. It takes money – a significant amount of money – cooperation and hours of hard work implementing projects that stretch from the Upper Mississippi River Basin through the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Region of the Lower Mississippi Valley.
Government-sponsored programs under the umbrella of the Conservation Title encourage farmers to implement a variety of Best Management Practices (BMPs), which in itself is a good thing, albeit a good thing with limitations. For example, funds are limited. There just isn’t enough money to go around to support all of the activities that need to be implemented, and the funds that are available can’t be used to address specific issues, such as nutrient loading and sediments in particular watersheds. “Another limitation of these government-funded programs is that typically there is no monitoring that accompanies them, so no science exists on which to gauge the result of what has been done,” says Phil Bass, Mississippi’s state policy coordinator for the EPA’s Gulf of Mexico Program.
Private Entity Steps Up
Next, enter Monsanto Company.
As part of its sustainability initiative, the St. Louis-based enterprise made a commitment to undertake a series of partnerships to help address key environmental issues associated with agriculture. On Dec. 8, 2008, Monsanto announced a new effort “to help reduce nutrients and sediments in agricultural runoff by partnering with The Nature Conservancy, Iowa Soybean Association, Delta Wildlife and The National Audubon Society on conservation projects in the Mississippi River Basin.” Each of the four entities will have its own project to complete but will be working collaboratively with farmers to help reduce runoff from the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico.
To support all of these projects, Monsanto will commit more than $5 million. The company will work actively with all four groups to share data generated from all projects with its farmer customers. Monsanto will also encourage on-farm adoption of management practices that contribute to water quality.
“As far as I know, this is the first time that a private entity has put up a large portion of its own funds to really address the issue of too many nutrients getting into the Gulf of Mexico,” Bass says. “Monsanto’s financial commitment puts some money into real on-the-ground applications. As far as an agency focused on the Gulf of Mexico, we see this company’s effort as a very positive step and one that we hope will encourage others from both the public and private sector to begin doing more to address the issue of nutrient loading in the Gulf.” Bass also points out that the requisite monitoring that will be a part of these projects will help determine to what extent they are successful.
Another benefit of the way the Monsanto Mississippi River Partnership Project is structured is that it focuses on water quality improvement for the entire Mississippi River Basin and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico. Michael Reuter, who oversees The Nature Conservancy’s Great Rivers Partnership, says, “We’re finally getting past these regional pieces, looking river-wide at some issues and thinking about how the watershed works as a system. Monsanto is setting an important precedent with this partnership and its generous gift and needs to be commended for it.”
Delta Wildlife’s Partner Role
As one of the four partnership entities, Delta Wildlife will install BMPs on approximately 1,000 sites on working farms in the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta region of the Lower Mississippi Valley. These water control structures are designed to reduce off-site movement of nutrients and sediments, while providing secondary environmental benefits in the form of improved fish and wildlife habitat and water conservation. The project will include a monitoring and assessment component that will thoroughly document accrued environmental benefits.
Dan Branton, Leland, Mississippi producer, says drainage is the No. 1 concern in the Mississippi Delta. The Branton operation has been involved in a long-term landforming project to improve water management capabilities and reduce erosion. “The funds provided by Monsanto are being used to provide new overfall pipes for fields we landformed this year,” Branton says. “I’m also a commissioner on a local drainage district and understand that erosion is contributing to filling up our ditches. These pipes will go a long way toward helping with that problem. I want to thank Monsanto for helping us improve our farming operations and the environment of the Mississippi Delta as well as reducing the hypoxia problem in the Gulf of Mexico.”
Paul Dees, a 3,000-acre rice, soybean and corn producer in Washington and Sunflower Counties, has made a request for Monsanto-funded water control structures and is waiting for his application to be processed.
“If we can install water control structures and more buffer strips, hopefully we can minimize nutrient and sediment runoff from our fields,” Dees says. “As far as nutrient loading, I’m glad Monsanto is working through Delta Wildlife to manage it. As a farmer, I want to be a good steward of the land, and I appreciate Monsanto’s monetary donation to help farmers improve our efficiency and enhance the environment.”
‘A Win-Win for Everybody’
Clarksdale, Mississippi producer Bowen Flowers points out that installing overfall pipes helps impound water for wildlife during the winter as well as limiting erosion and allowing cleaner water to run back into the lakes to be used during the growing season.
“Ducks and geese can stop and rest and feed in fields where water is impounded by these structures in the wintertime,” Flowers says. “I want to thank Monsanto for supporting Delta Wildlife and helping us enhance the wildlife habitat in our area and improve the quality of water going back into our streams and rivers.”
Allan Grittman, a 5,000-acre rice and soybean farmer in Sunflower County, had already installed water control structures before the Monsanto Mississippi River Partnership Project was initiated. However, speaking from experience, he says every field that doesn’t have one needs one.
“Everywhere that we have these structures on our farm, we have greatly increased the wildlife and stopped soil erosion,” Grittman says. “This new partnership is a great program and shows that Monsanto is a good steward of the land, the environment and the wildlife. Everyone in the Delta is glad to have them as a partner. The structures Monsanto is helping to provide protect our streams, waterways and our fields. It’s a win-win for everybody.”
Although Delta Wildlife members certainly are aware of the benefits of the new partnership and appreciative of Monsanto’s vision and generosity, by the same token, Monsanto also expresses its gratitude and optimism for the project.
“We’re proud to work with Delta Wildlife and farmers throughout the Mississippi River Basin on this important conservation initiative,” says Jerry Steiner, Executive
Vice President at Monsanto. “Farmers are true stewards of the land, and their efforts on farm are an essential part of supporting our world and its growing needs.
“We believe this project, working in parallel with other projects and other contributing sectors along the Mississippi, can identify and implement ways that not only preserve water quality, but also support diverse and abundant wildlife populations. These steps will be an important stepping stone toward the goal of preserving natural resources and wildlife in the Mississippi River Basin for future generations.”