Shawano County

Waterways Association of Menominee and

Shawano Counties, Inc.
March 2023

In this issue:
What are BMPs?
Back 40 Program and Farmer Highlight
NRCS Rainfall Simulator Video- 4 Key Principles of Soil Health
Producer-Led Watershed Council and Chance to Win $100 Gift Certificate for Adams
Meats
Runoff Advisory

What are BMPs?

Best management practices (BMPs) refer to a number of different economically feasible
practices that people can utilize to reduce harmful environmental impact. For example,
practicing no-till farming allows organic material to accumulate and create a cover for
the soil, preventing erosion. As this soil cover decomposes, it also increases the amount
of nutrients in the soil. No-till farming also increases soil structure by preventing
compaction, allowing for better root growth and water uptake.
BMPs are very important in agricultural settings, as they help reduce runoff and soil
erosion and improve soil health and water quality. A few examples of agricultural BMPs
include rotational grazing and utilizing cover crops.

Are you a local farmer who utilizes BMPs? Would you like you and your efforts to be
highlighted in our agricultural newsletter? If you answered yes, please contact us at
wamsco@gmail.com
 Back 40 Program and Farmer Highlight
The Back 40 program, operated by Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, offers farmers a
chance to gain firsthand experience utilizing a couple major BMPs (Best Management
Practice) for the first time, while offering cost sharing opportunities to the farmers. The
program allows farmers to sign on for a 2-year agreement, during which cover crops are
to be utilized in the fall and no-till planting is to take place in the spring on selected
fields. Throughout this 2-year period, the selected fields are not to be tilled at all. The
goal of this program is to offer farmers who may not have practiced conservation
methods in the past the opportunity to begin and get an introduction of BMP use, while
lessening the financial hit if the BMPs are not successful during the first implementation.
Shawano County has joined this program and currently has 5 farms enrolled in the Back
40, with a total of 101 acres of selected land for BMP implementation.

David Race, a Shawano County farmer in Belle Plaine and a participant in the Back 40
program, operates a dairy farm consisting of about 500 acres. Dave has been a small
dairy/grain farmer his entire life and the farm he currently operates has been passed
down to him through his family. His farm is located less than a mile from Schoenick
Lake, about one mile from the Cloverleaf Lakes, and about two miles from the Wolf
River. The land that Dave selected for this program is fairly unique, as Schoenick Lake
lies right next to the field and a small stream flows a few hundred feet away. This is a
great field for BMP use, as these practices will also help reduce any negative impact on
the water quality of the surrounding water bodies. The field’s soil is fairly sandy, causing
nutrient buildup and nutrient uptake to be rather difficult. He’s practiced no-till planting
 and utilized some cover crops in the past, but, through participating in the Back 40
program, he hopes to gain more knowledge and experience with implementing these
BMPs. Dave’s goal is to allow the nutrient-rich organic matter in his fields to build up,
thus improving the soil structure and soil health, ensuring that the fields will be viable for
years to come.

NRCS Rainfall Simulator Video- 4 Key Principles of Soil Health

Would you like to learn more about agricultural best practices and land conservation?
Click HERE to check out a visual demonstration of different soil types in a video from
Wisconsin’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, learn about the 4 key principles
of soil health, and see how these methods benefit the land.

Together, we can help ensure that both our land and water are protected and preserved
for future generations.

Producer-Led Watershed Council and Chance to Win $100 Gift

Certificate for Adams Meats

WAMSCO is trying to gauge community interest in forming a producer-led watershed

council for Shawano County. With enough interest, we hope to help create this council
and, together, we can learn different cost effective methods of improving soil health

while maintaining productivity. Implementation of various practices that improve soil

health also leads to reduced runoff which will benefit the water quality of Shawano and
Menominee Counties. The producer-led council provides a great opportunity to learn
and share experiences with other producers in the area. If this is something you would
be interested in, please click HERE to complete the survey. Upon completion of the
survey, you will automatically be entered into a raffle for the chance to win a $100 gift
certificate for Adams Meats in Marion, WI.

Is Your Manure Pit Getting Full?

As many manure pits are filling up, runoff season is also upon us. Before heading out
into the field, don’t forget to reference Wisconsin's Runoff Risk Advisory. Click HERE to
view the real-time advisory.