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.

Overview

Agriculture is the primary industry of North Dakota. In 1997 the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service noted that 68.6% of the land in the state was cropland, and an additional 26.4% was pasture or rangeland.

The concept of sustainable agriculture is based on a holistic approach required to achieve a sustainable system which can continue for many generations. Sustainable agriculture enhances agricultural profitability, conserves natural resources and realizes societal benefits balancing ecological health, environmental health and societal health.

The current conventional system of agriculture makes it increasingly difficult for farmers to sustain a living. Extreme weather conditions, low commodity prices, and high fuel costs contribute to the challenges along with complex, multiple, and often competing federal programs. The system places primary emphasis on economics, forcing all decisions to revolve around profitability. Spouses work off-farm and don’t see each other for days during the production season. More and more land is put into production to make a profit. Farm machinery is too large to maneuver around wetlands, trees and fencerows, so they must be removed. The once abundant wildlife populations disappear because fence rows, pasture and wetlands that provided their habitat are gone.

While most farmers aren't opposed to preventing soil erosion, building soil structure, implementing diverse crop rotation or setting aside unproductive wetlands for wildlife habitat, as profit margins decline, these practices are seen as economically unfeasible.

In 2000, the North Dakota Natural Resources Trust initiated a five-year demonstration Conservation Agriculture Project designed to:

• Protect natural resources while maintaining a profitable farm economy,
• Improve communication between wildlife agencies, conservationists and farmers, and
• Improve the quality of life for people who live and work on the farms.

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.