Our Mission: Protect our water and land resources by assisting Rock County landowners with understanding conservation rules and implementing best-management practices!
IN THE SPOTLIGHT Public hearings for the Missouri River Watershed: Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan Event set for April 30, 2019 for watershed-based plan Worthington, MN - After two years of local planning efforts, public hearings are set for April 30th to gather citizen feedback on the draft Missouri River Watershed Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan. The Missouri River Watershed One Watershed, One Plan (1W1P) effort brought six counties, six Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), and two Watershed Districts together to develop a comprehensive plan for resource management in the Missouri River Watershed. Before this collaborative process, each public entity developed their own strategic water plan. This new implementation-focused plan built off existing local water management plans and aligned priorities and multiple local water planning processes on major watershed boundaries. The resulting Missouri River Watershed Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan will be locally led and result in prioritized, targeted, and measurable implementation efforts. This means actions and investments are made where they make the most impact to protect or improve the resources that are most important locally. Following a two-month state review for their draft plan, Missouri River Watershed 1W1P officials will host public hearings on April 30th in Worthington and Pipestone. Each event will have an open house on the draft Missouri River Watershed Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan followed by a public hearing. The Pipestone meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 30 from 9:30 – 11:00 AM at Pipestone Ambulance Services, located at 811 5th St SE, Pipestone, MN. The Worthington meeting will occur on the same day from 2:00 – 3:30 PM in the Nobles County Public Works building, located at 1300 Diagonal Rd, Worthington, MN. After the hearings, the Missouri River Watershed 1W1P’s Policy Committee of elected county commissioners, SWCD board managers, and Watershed District board managers will review all state agency and public comments on the draft plan. The committee then will vote on whether to submit the plan to the Minnesota Board of Water & Soil Resources (BWSR) for approval. BWSR will have 90 days to approve the plan. It will then go back to local government units (county, SWCD, and Watershed District boards) to vote on local adoption. The draft Missouri River Watershed Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan—along with other related planning materials and information—is available on the Nobles SWCD website at: www.noblesswcd.org/one-watershed-one-plan For more information on One Watershed One Plan: http://bwsr.state.mn.us/planning/1W1P/index.html Brought to you by: • Jackson, Lincoln, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, and Rock Counties and Soil and Water Conservation Districts • Kanaranzi-Little Rock and Okabena-Ocheda Watershed Districts |
CURRENT RENTAL RATES
Contact the local MN-Extension office at 507-283-1302 Crop Equivalent Ratios (CER) Contact the Farm Services Agency at 507-283-2369 Conservation Reserve Program Contact the local Farm Services Agency at 507-283-2369 Helpful Links NRCS Web Soil Survey GIS Viewer Rock County Website Information Request Form Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) Earthwork and Tile Contractors AG BMP State Cost Share Building Permits Tiling or Watercourse Clean-Out Requirements: 1) Local Notification Form 2) Watercourse cleanout No-till Drill Rental Recycling Dos and Don'ts Household Hazardous Waste Licensed Well Sealers Septic Designer/Installers |
2019 Calendar
January 21: 8 am SWCD Board Meeting Rock SWCD Office 
Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment
Click the logo for more info
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BUFFER COMPLIANCE
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 on the link below for further information.
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 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:
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:
www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/minnesota/explore/prairie-restoration-guides.xml
Grazing, wildlife habitat, and improving water quality and quantity are just a few reasons why landowners restore prairie on their land. Find out what steps to take to achieve your restoration goals.
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2018 OUTSTANDING CONSERVATIONIST:
CONGRATULATIONS TO JIM AND THE LATE JOANN VELDKAMP
Veldkamp Farms, of Jasper, Minnesota, began operation in 1973 when the original quarter section was purchased by Jim Veldkamp and his wife, the late JoAnn Veldkamp.
They started out raising sows and some feeder cattle in addition to corn and soybeans. The dry start to the growing seasons brought about their first big change in converting to ridge till from conventional tillage in 1983. The conservation benefits realized in the change to ridge till are more obvious today as they were in those early years.
As said by Jim, “We were going to make ridge till work,” the cultural practice is used to this day, which has evolved into a system more like no-till, in a ridge-till system. In terms of proof the system has worked well, Veldkamp Farms have been three time corn yield top finishers in the national ridge-till category.
In 2008, the operation was recognized by the Pork Industry for their environmental stewardship. Veldkamp Farms utilizes swine manure, from the 28,000 head of finishing swine raised each year, to provide a portion of the nutrients needed on the 1,650 acres of cropland.
They also band dry the dry fertilizer needed on their farm, side dress nitrogen, and likewise side dress liquid swine manure into their growing crops with a custom built liquid manure tank made to track within the ridge row crops. Soil fertility is managed utilizing a manure management plan, grid sampling, variable rate fertilizer and planting to match grid samples. Crop scouting and pesticide evaluation models are also incorporated into the farm. A CRP planting with trees, along with landscaping, was installed around one of the swine finisher sites to help mitigate odor and enhance the public view of the site.
A positive image has always been important to Jim. Veldkamp Farms has been a featured stop for agricultural visitors from 8 different foreign nations.
They started out raising sows and some feeder cattle in addition to corn and soybeans. The dry start to the growing seasons brought about their first big change in converting to ridge till from conventional tillage in 1983. The conservation benefits realized in the change to ridge till are more obvious today as they were in those early years.
As said by Jim, “We were going to make ridge till work,” the cultural practice is used to this day, which has evolved into a system more like no-till, in a ridge-till system. In terms of proof the system has worked well, Veldkamp Farms have been three time corn yield top finishers in the national ridge-till category.
In 2008, the operation was recognized by the Pork Industry for their environmental stewardship. Veldkamp Farms utilizes swine manure, from the 28,000 head of finishing swine raised each year, to provide a portion of the nutrients needed on the 1,650 acres of cropland.
They also band dry the dry fertilizer needed on their farm, side dress nitrogen, and likewise side dress liquid swine manure into their growing crops with a custom built liquid manure tank made to track within the ridge row crops. Soil fertility is managed utilizing a manure management plan, grid sampling, variable rate fertilizer and planting to match grid samples. Crop scouting and pesticide evaluation models are also incorporated into the farm. A CRP planting with trees, along with landscaping, was installed around one of the swine finisher sites to help mitigate odor and enhance the public view of the site.
A positive image has always been important to Jim. Veldkamp Farms has been a featured stop for agricultural visitors from 8 different foreign nations.
Veldkamp Farms has been a leader in utilizing ridge-till, today more closely resembling no-till, over the past 35 years. Recently, a nearby quarter section of land was acquired, in need of structural and cultural practices. Jim came to the Rock SWCD looking for ways to “fix” this tract of land. Structural practices included 4775 feet of grass waterways and 5 terraces totaling 2030 feet in length.
Community has been close to the hearts of Veldkamp Farms. Jim recently passed 30 years of service as an EMT to the Jasper Ambulance Service, with his wife serving as EMT for 27 years as well. Jim has served on the board of the local elevator, the former Jasper State Bank, and is currently serving on the Jasper Development Corporation Board.
Jim Veldkamp humbly recognizes his late wife, JoAnn, of 45 years, as his business partner, and without her contribution, prior to her losing her battle with cancer in 2017, Veldkamp Farms would not be what it is today. Jim is currently in the process of succession planning, with a non-family partner, Ethan Kracht, so the farm can continue for years to come.
Jim and Joann were honored at the 2018 Annual MN Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts Convention in Bloomington, MN on Tuesday, December 10.
