This fall, NAICC and the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) hosted a farm tour in Wisconsin for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) officials to discuss what successful implementation of Endangered Species Act (ESA) mitigation practices looks like for EPA and FWS, brainstorm how success is defined by each group and find common ground. We welcomed seven EPA attendees and three from FWS.
The first stop on the tour was in Delavan, Wisconsin, at Great Lakes Ag Research Service’s farm. FWS educated the group on the habitat of the eastern massasauga rattlesnake. The group discussed how farmers can continue to farm field edge to field edge while protecting the habitat through the use of mitigation practices and preserving essential habitat.
Stop No. 2 was at Dale and Denise Theel’s farm in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Here, the group learned how farmers are actively improving habitat for pollinators such as the rusty patched bumble bee. By utilizing cover crops and prairie strips, a habitat is being created to attract pollinators and still allow for normal crop production. This farm is part of the Wisconsin Demonstration Farm Network, and the group discussed how such a model could be used in other regions.
Next up was Coloma Farms in Coloma, Wisconsin. This stop focused on potato production and how pivot corners could be utilized to create habitat. Discussion centered on ESA buffers and how they affect potato pest management.
Day two began at Jim and Nodji Van Wychen’s cranberry farm in Warrens, Wisconsin. The group learned about cranberry production and its unique challenges. EPA offered input into how buffers would be interpreted on this farm and how most of the practices utilized by producers would be recognized as mitigations for ESA. EPA emphasized its goal is to give farmers as much credit for things they are already doing for conservation to count toward ESA mitigations. The group also learned more about cranberry production at the Wisconsin Cranberry Research Station in Black River Falls.
The final stop on the tour was the WinField United Innovation Center in River Falls, Wisconsin. Here, everyone learned about WinField’s work to test drift reduction agents and nozzles. The group discussed how this technology is helping preserve critical habitats for endangered species.
The Takeaway
One important discussion that took place is how farmers and agronomists don’t understand the ESA right now. Soon after the tour ended, the NAICC governmental affairs committee met with Tim Kiely, a farm tour participant and acting deputy director for EPA’s pesticide re-evaluation division. His team is working on ways to communicate with not only growers but also commodity groups and consultants. They are currently developing a mitigation calculator to help farmers meet the label requirements.
