I will work for all of us who depend on our soil and water. I will work on promoting the current Best Management Practices. I am uniquely qualified to serve by having a UMN Environmental Science education, concentrating in Issues and Planning, that also weaves into everyday life. I substitute teach for Winona Area Public Schools, also study and teach qi gong. Serving on the Planning Commission has been an invaluable education of the Winona County Zoning Ordinance, property owners and also the multiple uses of land. As a UMN grant administrator my work involved program implementation, compliance audits, financial reporting. My university experience also cultivated the ability to publicly speak, work in groups and embrace civic duty.
Let’s begin with vital soil, clean water, composting. USDA Soil Primer author, Soil Microbiologist Elaine Ingram, stated at her Winona presentation “All life relies on living organisms residing inside of organisms. Crop plants need that immune system. The key to soil health is organic matter. Essential nutrients have been managed by soil bacteria, fungi, Protozoa and nematodes for 3.5 billion years.” Composting improves soil health, better soil naturally filters impurities for cleaner water
SWCD exists for its constituents. Recently I have been attending the monthly meetings. I may be off but it seems the participants are farmers, retired farmers, and representatives from DNR, BWSR, NRCS, County Planning. So this we call a balanced representation of the public. Especially when a question is raised about nitrogen application and the lengthy response that is given ends with, cows are the best for this land. I believe public health, living soil and water without chemicals is best
Education. Globally we have committed over 75% of arable land to raising livestock, or livestock crops. $38 billion US subsidies goes to produce livestock, only $20 million to vegetables and fruits. We have proven what is now “conventional” farming to be extractive, not sustainable. Our food system is considered fragile and inefficient. We can find a better democratic balance; we are all facing deleterious effects of habituated decisions. We are all drinking the same water.
I have a variety of professional experiences that uniquely qualify for this job .Including organic and conventional ,experience as a non-operating farmland owner and environmental educater.I also have training in Soil Health from both a technical and creation care perspective. My experience includes eighteen months of attending Soil and Water conservation meetings and meetings of various partner agencies as well as field days regarding water quality,soil health and Trout stream restoration, as well as extensive academic training in natural resource management from technical and creation care perspectives
First priority will be supporting the staff , as these are the individuals tasked with providing services and need to be properly resourced to accomplish their mission. Second priority will be water quality,especially Nitrate contamination in ground water.Everyone deserves clean drinking water . Third, Soil Health, proper Soil Health, especially cover crops will do a lot to address on farm issues like Nitrate contamination,erosion and to some extent climate gases.
Proper management of soil and water resources are vital for the entire community, water and soil are primary sources of life. Overall the agency seems to be well run and responsive,.The major improvement I would pursue is to continue to push for the resources the staff needs for their responsibilities.
As i addressed earlier i would encourage Soil Health programs and practices and thorough education about these practices. Conservation practices like cover cropping and maintaining organic material in soil will do a lot to address climate gasses and reduce the use of chemical inputs
I was raise on a farm. We had cows, pigs and chickens. My wife Jean and I bought the farm in 1977 and operated it for 40 years. It's a 3rd generation farm. My Dad had our farms contoured in 1964. We also established waterways at this time. Both of these practices saved soil and improved water quality of the creek that runs through the property.
I'm the best candidate for this position. I have farmed the land my Grandpa bought in 1917. I was raised on this farm and was was actively involved except for 3 years
2 of those years I was in the Army and one year of working off farm.
I've been a board member for going on 8 years. I enjoy being part of helping farmers get conservation practices on their land.
Continue my education in ways to keep the soil on the land and out of our creeks and rivers.
To concentrate efforts on nitrates contamination in Winona County.
Continue working with our farmers to help solve land and water problems they might have. Introduce the benefits of low till, no till, cover crops crop rotations, planting trees. Winona County SWCD sell on average 5500 seedlings to any resident of Winona County
All Winona County constituents want a good and healthy place to live. The Winona County SWCD helps provide this by helping farmers put conservation practices on their land. Winona County. Huston County, Olmsted County and Wabasha County watersheds are part of a program to help people in these Counties put conservation practices on their land. This Watershed project will bring much needed resources (money) into this Watershed. We'll be able to do more.
Everything we do helps the people in our community and beyond. Keeping the ground covered with growing plants as much of the year as possible stores Co2 and gives off oxygen. We help people establish Prarie plots that not only save soil and keep water clean, but also are great for pollinators. Tree planting is also an important with climate change. We at the Winona Soil and Water Association are always looking for more ways we can help our constituents, both city and rural. This is our mission.
