Whiskey Creek pilot

project certifies

farm in the Minnesota Agricultural

Water Quality

Certification Program

The Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program added a certified farm from the Whiskey Creek pilot area administered by the Buffalo-Red River Watershed District (BRRWD). The Whiskey Creek watershed, under coordination of the BRRWD was selected as a pilot for this program, working in partnership with the West Ottertail County SWCD, the Wilkin County SWCD, and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

Minnesota Department of Agriculture Assistant Commissioner Matthew Wohlman presented Rick Drevlow with his certification sign and contract. Wohlman said, “This program demonstrates that in Minnesota we can have a strong ag economy while protecting our water resources. Rick’s certified farm shows his leadership in conservation, and I am pleased to give him the recognition he deserves.”

The Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program is a voluntary opportunity for farmer and agricultural landowners to take the lead in implementing conservation practices that protect our water. Those who implement and maintain approved farm management practices will be certified and in turn obtain regulatory certainty for a period of ten years; certified producers are deemed to be in compliance with any new water quality rules or laws during the period of their certification. There is also priority given to producers interested in this program for technical and financial assistance.

This program certifies farmers and landowners for managing their land in a way that protects water quality. The certification process is a whole-farm assessment that evaluates: physical field characteristics, nutrient management factors, tillage management factors, pest management factors, irrigation and tile drainage management, and conservation practices. Aaron Larsen of the West Otter Tail SWCD worked with Drevlow on his certification. He said, “This program really identifies water quality resource concerns, and also provides technical and financial assistance to fix those concerns.”

Bruce Albright, BRRWD Administrator said, “It is good to see that the program also works well for livestock producers.

For more information on how to become certified in the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program, visit www.mda.state.mn.us/awqcp or contact Bruce Albright at the Buffalo-Red Watershed District at 218-354-7710.

State agriculture leaders

back return of tax deduction

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) has recommended to Congress that the Section 179 tax deduction level in the Internal Revenue Service code remain consistent with the 2010-2013 limit for small businesses.

“The amount of investment required to sustain agricultural operations is only increasing,” said North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, who introduced the policy amendment. “Farmers and ranchers need an expensing limit that allows them to deduct costs on expensive assets like equipment and machinery and allow them to more effectively run their businesses.”

Passed in 2002 as part of an economic stimulus package, Section 179 allows small businesses to deduct the entire cost of certain assets, such as equipment, machinery, business vehicles, computers and office furniture and equipment, in the year of purchase. From 2010 to 2013, the deduction maximum was $500,000, limited at $2 million

“This beneficial deduction allowed agriculture producers to write-off purchases of equipment in a single year, as well as deduct expensive repairs, such as engines and transmissions,” Goehring said. “Unfortunately, the deduction level was reduced last year to $25,000 with a $200,000 limit, basically eliminating the benefits this deduction provided to farms and ranches.”

The members of NASDA – the elected and appointed commissioners, secretaries, and directors of the departments of agriculture in all 50 states and four U.S. territories – unanimously passed Goehring’s motion.

Local Hiking Trail organization

to sponsor hike on 75-mile segment

of the North Country National Scenic Trail

Fargo, ND – To celebrate the First Annual North Country National Scenic Trail Day and National Public Lands Day, volunteers are organizing Trail events across 7 states on Saturday, September 27. The Dakota Prairie Chapter of the North Country Trail Association will sponsor a hiking event in which each hiker will hike 1 to 10 miles and, in total, the hikers will “Hike Every Mile” to cover the 75 mile Trail route maintained by the Chapter between Fort Abercrombie and Lisbon. The route passes through the towns of Abercrombie, Colfax, Walcott, and Lisbon, and crosses the Ekre Grassland Preserve and the Sheyenne National Grasslands. The Trail wanders through prairie, woods, pasture, oak savannas, sand hills, and river bottoms while other sections are unpaved road connectors. Hikers will choose the distance they want to walk and the Chapter will plan appropriate routes and transportation. Following the hike, a social gathering is planned at the Ekre Grassland Preserve southwest of Kindred.

This event is open to everyone and there is no fee to participate.

The North Country National Scenic Trail is a hiking trial that runs 4,600 miles across 7 states from eastern New York to Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota. It is the longest National Scenic Trail in the country.

Contacts: Tom Moberg, NCTA President: 701-271-6769, tfmoberg@gmail.com

Robert Stein, Dakota Prairie Chapter Secretary: 701-730-8785, steinrc@hotmail.com

North Dakota Department

of Health Enterovirus D-68

Confirmed in a North Dakota Resident

A confirmed case of Enterovirus D-68 (EV-D68) has been identified in a child from Stutsman County, according to the North Dakota Department of Health. She was hospitalized with a respiratory illness that caused difficulty breathing, cough and wheezing. The patient is no longer hospitalized and recovered at home.

“This is the first confirmed EV-D68 case that has been reported in North Dakota,” said Jill Baber, epidemiologist with the North Dakota Department of Health. “However, enteroviruses are not reportable to the North Dakota Department of Health, so the number of cases being reported are not necessarily representative of the number of EV-D68 cases in the state.”

Enteroviruses are common respiratory viruses that affect an estimated 10 to 15 million people in the United States each year, most often in the summer and fall. While EV-D68 is less common than other enteroviruses, it is not new to the United States. Infected individuals have mild to severe respiratory illness that may include cough, trouble breathing and wheezing. The virus is most likely spread through coughs, sneezes or contact with surfaces contaminated with saliva or mucus. Parents, as always, should seek medical attention if their child has difficulty breathing and should treat other influenza-type symptoms the same as they normally would.

According to Baber, “Not all respiratory illnesses occurring now are due to EV-D68. There are many different viruses that can cause respiratory illness, including influenza.” The public can protect themselves against EV-D68 and other respiratory viruses by frequently washing hands with soap and water, avoiding close contact with sick people and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces.

For more information, contact Jill Baber, North Dakota Department of Health, at 701.328.2378