It’s been a little over six years since I came to work for the Conservation Technology Information Center. At the time of my arrival, CTIC was in the middle of promoting Core 4 Conservation, with the tag line of Better Soil, Cleaner Water, Greater Profits and a Brighter Future. This initiative was the genesis of CTIC’s move toward promoting soil quality, which became the organization’s central message during my tenure.
For the past 70 years or so, conservation in the United States has revolved
around managing for erosion control. Although managing for erosion control
has been a worthwhile endeavor, our country seems to have stalled at controlling
erosion at around 1.9 billion tons of soil loss annually. That’s appalling.
It’s just not an acceptable number, especially with the available technology
and the amount of money that has been directed toward conservation programs.
The time has come for a shift in our conservation programs. It’s time
that we get away from the stale approach of managing for erosion control and
move instead to the next level of conservation, which is managing for soil
quality.
For us to see change in our nation’s policy, the people in power must
start addressing the real issue of conservation, insuring that the soils we
depend on to provide food, fiber and energy to a growing, consumptive society
are protected and improving in quality. We also need to have some serious discussions
with agricultural producers about taking responsibility for conservation and
not relying on government programs and dollars.
Our leaders need to have a strong, long-range conservation plan that takes
into account our natural resources for periods longer than 5 to 10 years. We
need to be planning for at least seven generations, a timeframe not even on
our nation’s conservation radar screen – though I heard it discussed
among conservation leaders in South America. Otherwise, one day in the not-so-distant
future, we are going to wake up to a crisis and wonder what happened.
Of course, with a shift in emphasis to long-term results, we need to make
sure we’re keeping score.
Since the early 1980s, CTIC and NRCS have utilized the Crop Residue Management
(CRM) Survey to determine the number of acres under some type conservation
tillage management scheme – one indication that producers are implementing
a management practice that promotes soil quality.
Recently, CTIC was notified that the CRM Survey is in jeopardy. In my opinion,
this is a step backwards. At a time when we should be providing sound information
to Congress, the President and the conservation community about the success
of conservation, we will only be able to provide information on the dollars
spent and the number of practices installed. We will be hard-pressed to show
an improvement in our environmental resources without documentation such as
the CRM Survey.
So what needs to be done to get us moving to the next level of conservation?
- Our federal agency partners have got to focus on conservation for
the sake of improving our natural and environmental resources rather than how
much money can be spent and how many practices can be implemented. Our programs
should be focused on those areas with the greatest need for conservation.
- The conservation partnership needs to come together to do a true conservation
plan that is long-term, resource-driven and results-oriented.
- We must stop the loss of our cropland acres due to urban development
or idling of acres.
- Finally, we need to move to the next level of conservation by shifting
our focus from managing for erosion control to managing for soil quality.
When those steps are accomplished, we will truly be living the credo, “Conservation
is more than just a word, it’s a way of life – and it’s forever.”
