EPA Awards Nearly $1 Million to Help Farmers in Wisconsin
Sand County Foundation will use EPA funds for soil sensor technology
CHICAGO (July 1, 2021) — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the Sand County Foundation in Madison, Wisconsin, will receive a $997,383 “Farmer to Farmer” grant to benefit communities and ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico watershed. The foundation is one of 11 organizations receiving EPA funding to support the leadership of farmers in improving water quality, habitat, resilience and peer-to-peer information exchange.
“EPA is proud to support the leadership of farmers and their innovative approaches to improve water quality while working to fuel and feed the world,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “EPA is committed to meaningful partnerships with farmers to advance sustainable agriculture practices while creating healthy, clean, and safe environments for all.”
“Sensor technology installed by Farmers Edge allows our farmer collaborators to compare field data,” said Dr. Heidi Peterson, Sand County Foundation’s Vice President of Agricultural Conservation and Research “It also helps understand how their management influences soil properties critical to climate resiliency and nutrient transport.”
Background
The Gulf of Mexico Division is a non-regulatory program of EPA founded to facilitate collaborative actions to protect, maintain and restore the health and productivity of the Gulf of Mexico in ways consistent with the economic well-being of the region. To carry out its mission, the Gulf of Mexico Division continues to maintain and expand partnerships with state and federal agencies, federally recognized tribes, local governments and authorities, academia, regional business and industry, agricultural and environmental organizations, and individual citizens and communities.
Listen to the Sand County Foundation share how their projects are going empower conservation champions using real time soil data https://fb.watch/6stJlVQuww/