Four North Dakota Drift Prairie farmers and their farm operations participated in the demonstration project which proved that farmers are willing to make changes to protect the environment when those options are economically feasible. Stewards of the Land is their story.

Issues

Viewpoints

Along with the cultivated fields and pasture, the rolling plains of central North Dakota are full of "prairie potholes", or small to medium-sized depressed wetlands. The closed lakes, ponds and depressions, created long ago by stagnant glacial ice, are at the foundation of every issue. And the issue is one of perspective:

To the farmer, the low lying wet areas are a source of aggravation frequently described as "waste land." Every acre not under cultivation is income lost.

To the environmentalist, the un-cultivated landscape fulfills important functions to wetlands including lowered erosion, improved water quality and improved flood management.

Trust

Private landowners have many concerns and conflicting ideas regarding water storage and conservation practices. They are struggling with farm income issues, salinization of soils, wetlands designations and regulations, drainage issues and private property rights. They are distrustful of wetlands advocates, environmental groups and agencies that sponsor conservation of natural resources who have little understanding of farming as a business.

Bureaucracy

Many farmers find the bureaucracy of multiple federal and state farm programs difficult to understand. In the past, the programs have been managed piece-meal, only protecting a particular parcel of land or a critical problem area. Payments for conservation programs compete with other alternative programs and both federal and state conservation programs are under-funded. Farmers with smaller acreages can’t compete with larger farms for program enrollment.

Struggling Rural Communities

Rural communities, supported largely by the agricultural economy, are struggling to survive, just as the farmers are. In addition to the economic strain rural communities are also faced with out-migration of young people, few job opportunities, extreme weather conditions and flooding, and an aging population.

Tourism

As a means of economic diversification, one of North Dakota's strategies is tourism promotion. In 2003, tourism was reported as the second largest and fastest growing industry in North Dakota. For every dollar the state has invested, $83.38 has been returned – creating a $3 billion economy.

Tourism in North Dakota is dependent on a landscape rich in wildlife and scenic vistas of prairie grasses. This is leading rural communities to a growing interest in the non-production, landscape function of the farmlands.