THE LAND, JULY 18, 2014
26 A
Self-assessment aims to improve soil, water rural Minnesota landscape. By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer And it’s all based on a stewardStarted two years back as a ship assessment that you give to farmer-led initiative to raise your own farming operation. In awareness among farmers essence, you’re testing yourself. about water quality issues, Jeremy Geske, watershed the Green Star Farms Initiaeducation specialist for the tive is a totally voluntary program that keeps growing, Jeremy Geske Minnesota Agricultural Water Resource Center, spoke with keeps asking more questions, and keeps finding more answers The Land at the Minnesota State Catabout protecting and enhancing the tlemen’s Tour in Redwood Falls, Minn.
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Q: What’s the status of the Green Star Farms Initiative today? Geske: We’re right at about 250 farms that have completed their self-evaluations and many of which are now doing their thirdparty assessments as requested. Participating is good. Obviously our goal to have a lot more farms enrolled. It’s a quick and simple task. Sitting down for 15-20 minutes is all that it takes. Q: So where do they start? Geske: Go GreenStarFarms.org and simply click on “get started.” It’s a simple online evaluation worksheet. Completing the assessment provides a thorough evaluation of your farming practices across crop and livestock production systems. Any questions call me and we’ll get you going. Q: What is this third party assessment? Geske: It’s an option for those farmers who want verification by an outside person. Currently that person is
me. I will set up an appointment with the farmer — maybe an hour or two at the most — to go over your survey and how you evaluated your farm on conservation practices. I’ll have the farmer show me around his farm so I can see firsthand what he is doing. If everything measures up, then I sign off on it. Q: What’s the primary purpose of the program? Geske: Essentially two primary purposes. For the participating farms it’s a self assessment on your own conservation practices and quantifies the good work you may already be doing. But the more important reason is to identify ways in which we can individually on our own farms, or collectively based on knowledge gained, impart strategies for the greater good. We need this data gathered collectively because we often respond to our critics about the good work that farmSee GREEN STAR, pg. 27A
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