Clay County Farm Receives Water Quality Certification
April 29, 2024 by Alyson Levig
Last November, father-son duo Mark and Jason Fillbrandt, joined over 1,400 producers in becoming stewards of water quality through the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP). This voluntary program through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture certifies farming operations utilizing conservation practices to protect Minnesota’s water resources. Today, the decade-old program has confirmed over one million acres across the state working in conjunction to reduce soil erosion and protect water quality.
“We are trying to be leaders in the regenerative industry and were already doing most of the practices MAWQCP requires for certification,” Mark explained. “So, we wanted to go through the process ourselves to help other growers qualify and utilize the program today, and in the future, to aid their own farms in becoming more environmentally friendly and productive.”
Fillbrandt’s operation, Bigg Dogg Agg Farm, has been managing their 67-acre farm in Clay County for only three years, with 27 of those acres dedicated to cropland, where alfalfa, hay, corn, soybeans, wheat, rye, oats, and cover crops are no-tilled in and receive no broadcast dry fertilizer. By definition, no-till is the practice of planting crops without disturbing the soil whereas cover crops are non-cash crops grown for the enrichment and protection of the soil surface. In combination, these two conservation practices help increase soil organic matter, improve soil structure, and reduce soil erosion: thereby protecting the surrounding water quality.
In addition to their farming operation, the duo also own Bigg Dogg Agg Inc., an agricultural business that has been operating for 24 years, aiding producers in all aspects of farm management to agricultural products. Mark and Jason use both their company and cropland to showcase best management practices for nutrient applications and soil health, providing evidence to customers and fellow farmers of its success.
“We like to look at new ways of managing our ground and will conduct multiple trails each year, trying to find the best recommendations for our growers utilizing regenerative practices,” Mark said. “Ultimately, we’re looking for the most environmental program that provides growers with the best return of investment while also making their farm’s land more productive.”
Mark and Jason are also actively working with their local Soil and Water Conversation District and Natural Resource Conservative Service offices to gain funds to utilize multi-species cover crops and split application of nitrogen fertilizer as well as using low-salt starter fertilizer in furrows for more efficiency and in season tissue testing to address any crop deficiencies depending on weather conditions.
“Our goal is to create a legacy farm, which in our mind is working toward regenerative farming practices to leave the ground in a better environmental condition,” Mark explained. “And utilizing these practices to achieve that are some of the main objectives in the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program.”
In the future, the father and son want to expand on their multi-species cover crop mixes to fine-tune which varieties work best to build up micro-biological communities that will aid in the release of available nutrients and also increase water infiltration for future drought situations. They also are working toward lowering the amount of synthetic fertilizer they are applying on their cropland to limit the addition of salts and unwanted heavy metals in the soil that some fertilizers contain.
“I believe that all farmers want to leave their ground in good shape for future generations in order to create legacy farms that stay with their family,” Mark said. “Moving toward regenerative practices and controlling all fertilizer applications is a big step but will aid in maximum investment return and will help keep farming profitable for future generations.”
Overall, the current land use and management of Fillbrandt’s Bigg Dogg Agg Farming operation results in natural resource protection where water quality is protected, and soil erosion is reduced.
Posted In: MAWQCP
