Corn Views: Water quality discussion shouldn’t require a scoreboard
Written by Bruce Peterson
Unfortunately, many of us have a tendency to treat our political process like a sporting event. Who won? Who lost? Who will come out on top when one side of an issue faces off against the other?
Instead of coming together to try and find practical solutions and develop meaningful policy, too much time is spent on political games and trying to figure out “winners” and “losers.”
Farmers found themselves the middle of one of these showdowns during the last legislative session when Gov. Dayton called for 50-foot buffers around all Minnesota waterways. Immediately, the political rhetoric kicked in and the media covered the buffer issue like game 7 of the World Series.
Gov. Dayton vs. Minnesota farmers: Who will prevail?
Believe me, the last thing farmers wanted was to play that game. We had fields to plant and livestock to take care of. We function much better in a corn field than we do in the field of politics.
It took a while, but the rhetoric surrounding the buffer issue eventually subsided enough where a meaningful dialogue could take place. I, along with several other farmer-led ag organizations, had several meetings with Gov. Dayton, his staff and other legislators.
We were able to reach a compromise on buffer legislation that, basically, calls for the continued local enforcement of existing buffer laws. The compromise also put a timetable on compliance and called for the development of maps to better determine which public ditches and waterways would benefit from buffers.
We wanted to reach a compromise that didn’t requires a one-size-fits-all mandate and allowed farmers to continue making progress in the area of water quality by implementing conservation practices that are appropriate for their farm. I feel we achieved that.
However, immediately after the session ended, everyone was asking, who won? Instead, I wish people would ask, what’s next?
Everyone wants to protect water quality. Meaningful progress isn’t going to happen by pitting one group of Minnesotans against another.
Farmers need to continue making investments in research and on-farm initiatives that help them keep soil and other valuable nutrients on their fields and out of our waterways. We also need to ramp up our efforts in telling our own story and letting non-farmers know about the many things we’re already doing in the area of water quality.
Policymakers, the media, farmers and non-farmers – everyone involved in this conversation — needs to realize that divisive rhetoric and creating an “us vs. them” atmosphere isn’t the answer to water quality progress. We all lose when that happens.
I understand that policy issues, whether they involve agriculture or not, get contentious. I know we all won’t get along all of the time.
But I think we can do better than what we saw during the buffer debate. Protecting water quality while maintaining a productive environment for farming isn’t a game. As we move forward, let’s do a better job of seeking solutions instead of seeking “victory.”
Buffer and legislative update
If you’re a farmer and would like more details on the recently-passed buffer legislation and other important ag-related legislative items, you’re invited to attend one of six “What you need to Know” district meetings hosted by the Minnesota Corn Growers Association.
The meetings are set for Red Lake Falls (July 8), Fergus Falls (July 9), Sauk Centre (July 9), Fairmont (July 22), Redwood Falls (July 22) and Austin (July 23).
Time and location details, along with other information, is available here.
Bruce Peterson is a family farmer in Northfield, Minn., and President of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association. “Corn Views” is sent to all media outlets in Minnesota.
