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Integrating Strategies Into Systems

Scaling-up is happening for each of the five strategies for continuous living cover (perennial grains, perennials for livestock, agroforestry, perennial biomass for energy, and cover crops), where our partners are expanding research, creating learning tools and extension programs, working with farmers and ranchers to implement one or more of the strategies on the land, and promoting markets for the emerging products.

In order to achieve even more significant environmental and economic improvements, Green Lands Blue Waters supports broad-based rural development initiatives that systematically implement new cropping systems from all five strategies for continuous living cover, in concert, at scales that are economically meaningful and ecologically sound.

Chippewa 10% Project

The Chippewa 10% Project aims to show that when agriculture practices include more perennials, meaningful improvement in water quality and wildlife habitat can come from even just a 10% increase in perennials on the landscape. The Chippewa 10% Project is co-led by the Land Stewardship Project and the Chippewa River Watershed Project.
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Our partners and collaborators are implementing these broad based strategies on large landscapes, as long-term programs that are improving the environment, while maintaining farm and ranch profitability, and providing opportunities for entrepreneurs to create or strengthen businesses that provide farm inputs and bring the new outputs to market.

Success of the economic components is essential for achieving our long-term environmental objectives. These integrated programs build resilience and stability to the economic, social and ecological systems that are essential for our farm communities.

Rural Economic
Development Concept:
The Madelia Model

A group of entrepreneurs in south-central Minnesota developed a concept for a regional industrial park to process locally grown agricultural produce beyond corn or soybeans. The model carries through an underlying theme of sustainability, including continuous living cover promoted by Green Lands Blue Waters. This initiative not only would create new jobs for the region, but would also improve the economic opportunities for family farms, promote community, and enhance our environment.
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Photo credits for banner: Combine harvesting wheatgrass, The Land Institute; Hazelnut bushes, Brent McCown; Black Angus steer, Selket Jewett; Watonwan River, Linda Meschke/Rural Advantage.