Our Mission: Protect our water and land resources by assisting Rock County landowners with understanding conservation rules and implementing best-management practices.
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Earthwork and Tile Contractors
Tiling or Watercourse Clean-Out Requirements 1) Tiling Application 2) Watercourse cleanout |
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2023 Calendar
Monday, November 20, 2023 8 am - RockSWCD Board Meeting Rock County Land Management Office 
Click the logo for more info
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CONGRATULATIONS TO BRAD PETERSEN
2022 ROCK COUNTY OUTSTANDING CONSERVATIONIST
The Petersen Family
Lee, Megan, Harper, Brad, Heather, Mandie and Ty |
Brad's cover crop field of oats, radishes, turnips, canola, annual rye and red clover.
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The Rock SWCD Board of Supervisors and staff awarded Brad Petersen – Petersen Farms with the 2022 Outstanding Conservationist Award. Brad lives with his wife Heather on their family farm and they have three children Megan (Lee and Harper), Mandie and Ty.
Brad has been farming for 30 years and is being nominated for this award for his awareness and commitment to the health of his livestock and practices to maintain and improve soil health as well as mentor and educate others in the importance of soil health.
He operates as swine and cow/calf operation in which he practices rotational grazing pasture management with paddock fencing and also utilizes triticale, cereal rye, turnips, radishes and canola as cover crops in the grazing plan for his cow/calf pairs. Manure from his facility is applied according to his nutrient management plan to the crop fields needing the most nutrients.
Brad implements soil testing, no till beans and wide row corn with multi-species grazing mix between rows in working with his agronomist as part of a research plot. He manages his operation in an effort to protect water quality and is certified in the MN Ag Water Quality Certification program.
Brad has served as a director on the Rock County Planning and Zoning Commission since 2011, has been a member of the Rock County Soil Health Team since 2016 where he has not only promoted soil health but also served as a mentor to area farmers wanting to adopt soil health practices. He is a member of the MN Soil Health Coalition, participates in the NRCS Local Work Group and serves on a research team that tests fungicides, micro-biologicals as well as row spacing, cover crops and other cropping management on his farm.
Through his past and current practices and willingness to experiment with soil health practices within his own pasture and crop ground, Brad has shown his commitment to being a good steward of the land in an effort to protect, improve and preserve natural resources.
Brad has been farming for 30 years and is being nominated for this award for his awareness and commitment to the health of his livestock and practices to maintain and improve soil health as well as mentor and educate others in the importance of soil health.
He operates as swine and cow/calf operation in which he practices rotational grazing pasture management with paddock fencing and also utilizes triticale, cereal rye, turnips, radishes and canola as cover crops in the grazing plan for his cow/calf pairs. Manure from his facility is applied according to his nutrient management plan to the crop fields needing the most nutrients.
Brad implements soil testing, no till beans and wide row corn with multi-species grazing mix between rows in working with his agronomist as part of a research plot. He manages his operation in an effort to protect water quality and is certified in the MN Ag Water Quality Certification program.
Brad has served as a director on the Rock County Planning and Zoning Commission since 2011, has been a member of the Rock County Soil Health Team since 2016 where he has not only promoted soil health but also served as a mentor to area farmers wanting to adopt soil health practices. He is a member of the MN Soil Health Coalition, participates in the NRCS Local Work Group and serves on a research team that tests fungicides, micro-biologicals as well as row spacing, cover crops and other cropping management on his farm.
Through his past and current practices and willingness to experiment with soil health practices within his own pasture and crop ground, Brad has shown his commitment to being a good steward of the land in an effort to protect, improve and preserve natural resources.
MN CREP
WHAT IS MN CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program)?
MN CREP is a voluntary, federal-state funded natural resource conservation program that uses a science based approach to target environmentally sensitive land in 54 Counties in southern and western Minnesota. This is accomplished through permanent protection by establishing conservation practices via payments to farmers and agricultural land owners.
CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON:
How it works.
MN CREP Objectives
How the will be restored and protected.
Why enroll now?
Enrollment - Contact the Rock County Land Management Office
WHAT IS MN CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program)?
MN CREP is a voluntary, federal-state funded natural resource conservation program that uses a science based approach to target environmentally sensitive land in 54 Counties in southern and western Minnesota. This is accomplished through permanent protection by establishing conservation practices via payments to farmers and agricultural land owners.
CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON:
How it works.
MN CREP Objectives
How the will be restored and protected.
Why enroll now?
Enrollment - Contact the Rock County Land Management Office
MINNESOTA BUFFER LAW
The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources oversees implementation of the Buffer Law, which requires farmers to have vegetated buffers along cropland that borders ditches, streams, rivers and lakes. In accordance with the MN Board of Soil and Water Resources, Rock SWCD has developed a plan for Buffer Compliance Tracking. Click here for further information.
ROCK SWCD MONITORING PLAN FOR BUFFER COMPLIANCE TRACKING
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Large Energy Wind Conversion Systems
Permitting Process
Minnesota Rules 7854
*Timeline from application acceptance to permit decision is 180 days.
Click here for a flowchart of the process.
Permitting Process
Minnesota Rules 7854
*Timeline from application acceptance to permit decision is 180 days.
Click here for a flowchart of the process.
MN Department of Commerce
Environmental Review of Energy Projects
The Minnesota Department of Commerce Energy Environmental Review and Analysis (EERA) unit conducts environmental review of proposed energy projects including power plants, transmission lines, wind farms, and pipelines. EERA conducts environmental review on behalf of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commission), and EERA’s environmental review informs the permit decisions made by the Commission.
Click here for the Department of Commerce and further information.
Environmental Review of Energy Projects
The Minnesota Department of Commerce Energy Environmental Review and Analysis (EERA) unit conducts environmental review of proposed energy projects including power plants, transmission lines, wind farms, and pipelines. EERA conducts environmental review on behalf of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commission), and EERA’s environmental review informs the permit decisions made by the Commission.
Click here for the Department of Commerce and further information.
Guides to Prairie Restoration in Minnesota
Restoring a prairie just got easier.
Many landowners and managers have land that they would like to see covered with native flowers and grasses. But, creating a prairie is hard and often unpredictable work. The techniques and types of seeds planted will vary depending on the current state of the land, how moist or dry the site is, and type of prairie you would like to establish.
To deal with these issues, The Nature Conservancy and the University of Minnesota have developed 20 different restoration guides, each specific to one of five different types of starting conditions, two different moisture levels, and two different intended uses for restored prairie.
Each guide includes recommended techniques, timing and plant species, as well as estimated costs for completing a successful prairie restoration. The guides can be downloaded for free at:
To deal with these issues, The Nature Conservancy and the University of Minnesota have developed 20 different restoration guides, each specific to one of five different types of starting conditions, two different moisture levels, and two different intended uses for restored prairie.
Each guide includes recommended techniques, timing and plant species, as well as estimated costs for completing a successful prairie restoration. The guides can be downloaded for free at: