Conservation in action: Producer-led watershed efforts making an impact

DBA board president Greg Siegenthaler

Recently, Brody Stapel from the Sheboygan River Progressive Farmers and Ricardo Costa from The Nature Conservancy sat down with Joanna Guza, host of the Dairy Stream podcast, to discuss the recent success producer-led watershed groups have had with conservation efforts. The following is a summary of their conversation. 

Key takeaways 

Farmer-led Watershed Conservation Groups are driving real change: Some of the most impactful conservation work in farming doesn’t necessarily come from a specific practice or technique, but rather from the farmers themselves. Farmer-led watershed conservation groups are proving to be a powerful force for driving sustainability through innovation and collaboration. These networks have become a way for farmers to learn from each other, challenge and support each other and build a community of like-minded individuals.  

There’s still potential for growth in conservation practices: Although certain sustainable farming methods, such as cover cropping, have become more prevalent and widely used, there are still many other strategies that continue to build momentum within the industry. This could be due to the complexity of more advanced practices and the difficulties that can occur with the trial-and-error nature of farming. According to Brody, one of the biggest barriers to adopting new practices can be the mindset. Conservation efforts and growth require persistence and a long-term commitment in order to truly see results. 

Opportunities for Farmer-led Watershed Conservation Groups to shape the future of sustainable farming: Farmer-led Watershed Conservation Groups, like Sheboygan River Progressive Farmers, have the potential to grow even bigger and influence the future of conservation. Farmer networks will likely continue to expand with the addition of middle-adopters and more farmers focusing on long-term soil health and profitability rather than yield alone. There are also many more growing opportunities to connect sustainable practices to market demand, potentially developing new revenue streams for farmers using conservation methods. 

Farmers can learn more about some Farmer-led Watershed Conservation groups across Wisconsin and in Minnesota at farmersforsustainablefood.com/farmer-led-groups/. 

About the guests:

Brody Stapel is a dairy farmer from Cedar Grove, Wisconsin, milking 250 cows and farming 900 acres with his brother, Jory, and father, Rudy, along with their families. They operate two beef feedlots and have launched a direct-to-consumer brand for glass-bottled milk and beef. Brody also serves as the president of the Sheboygan River Progressive Farmers, a group focused on improving soil health and farming efficiency while minimizing environmental impact. 

Ricardo Costa is the associate director of Agriculture Strategy for TNC in Wisconsin. With a background in plant sciences, he previously worked as a field crops educator at Michigan State University Extension. A certified crop advisor and 4R nutrient management specialist, Ricardo collaborates with farmers, private industry, and government agencies to promote conservation practices in Wisconsin. 

About Dairy Stream: 

Dairy Stream focuses on policy, sustainability, market trends, new technology and farmer involvement. This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.