Thanks to the use of cover crops and no-tillage practices, Paul Cornette (pictured) knows the soil structure on his family’s dairy farm is better suited to withstand extreme weather conditions and protect water quality.
Cornette, who milks 360 cows and operates 1,000 acres together with his brother, Tom, first tried no-tilling about 12 years ago. When the results he hoped to see didn’t come to fruition, he resumed conventional practices that disturbed the soil, with the goal of trying no-till again another time. That time came two years ago, and Cornette now experiences more success with the practice each year. He gives much credit to Peninsula Pride Farms.
“The collaborative efforts and shared experiences that came with the formation and growth of Peninsula Pride Farms have really made a big difference around here,” says Cornette. “We’ve been able to learn from each other’s successes and failures, and no-till and cover crop acreage have exploded in the area.”
Cornette is a member of PPF, a farmer-led conservation group in Kewaunee and southern Door counties with 50 members who represent 76,500 acres and 42,663 dairy animals, beef cattle and pigs. The group collaborates with researchers, environmentalists and municipalities to implement farming practices that protect and improve ground and surface water.
Many of Cornette’s fellow farmers are incorporating nontraditional conservation practices as well. Last year, for example, PPF members planted 18,246 acres in cover crops, used low-disturbance manure application on 4,032 acres and reduced soil tillage on 21,310 acres. Members also use soil sampling and nutrient management plans. Overall, the group has seen a 50 percent increase in the number of acres with conservation practices — nearing a quarter-million today — since the group was formed in 2016.
Data is showing that these practices are significantly reducing the chance of harmful runoff into streams and lakes.
The farmers in 2020 potentially prevented an estimated 62,800 pounds of phosphorus from leaving the fields and reduced 23,800 tons of sediment erosion, according to research shared by DATCP, UW-Madison and The Nature Conservancy. For comparison, 100 tons of sediment is about 10 standard dump truck loads, and 1 pound of phosphorous in a lake or stream has the potential to cause the growth of up to 500 pounds of algae, which can degrade water quality.
Cornette now stacks more conservation practices with no-till, including cover crops and low-disturbance manure applications, and he watches his crops thrive.
“With the extreme weather we’ve had, I had crops just days away from being completely lost, but as soon as we got just a little bit of rain, the crops took off and are now awesome,” he says. “The soil structure buffers against extreme weather and keeps nutrients in an available form for the plants. This is impressive.”
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