Grefsrud Achieves MN Ag Water Quality Certification
December 27, 2024 by Alyson Levig
Nestled into the rolling hills of Parke Township in Clay County lies the Grefsrud homestead, the old roots of the family’s dairy operation from the 1920s that has since grown into the Grefsrud Angus Farm established in 2002 by Dan Grefsrud’s parents, Roddy and Shanna. Last year, fourth generation farmer, Dan, and his wife, Anne, purchased the family farm and have since intensified Roddy’s original commitment to conservation by implementing cover crops and no-till farming on to the landscape.
As an avid fisherman, the commitment toward conserving water quality was the driving force that directed Grefsrud to become water quality certified through the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP). The program, which originated in 2014, is a voluntary opportunity that certifies farming operations utilizing conservation-minded practices to protect water quality throughout Minnesota. Currently, there are over 1,500 certified producers and one million certified acres across the state.
“This certification lets people who do not farm know that we (farmers) are doing the best we can for the environment,” Grefsrud said. "It also shows current farmers that it’s okay to do something different to help preserve the land and water quality for the next generation.”
Grefsrud operates a diverse farm consisting of cropland, pasture, hay, and cattle. His 30 head of cattle are rotationally grazed throughout 3 paddocks throughout the grazing season and have been consuming a cover crop mixture of oats, radish, turnips, and volunteer wheat this fall which Grefsrud no-tilled in after the wheat harvest. This management style encourages the recovery of previously grazed vegetation while preventing soil erosion and promoting water quality.
“I’m hoping to expand to 5 paddocks and implement a more intensive grazing rotation in the future,” Grefsrud said. “Meaning, I would go from moving the herd weekly to roughly every four days. It’ll help maximize the number I can feed on the few acres I own.”
Throughout his 97 acres of cropland, Grefsrud no-tills a diverse 5-year rotation of alfalfa-grass mix, corn, soybean, and wheat. Corn, soybean, and wheat fields are then followed by a cover crop mixture that is either drilled-in or flown on in the fall. Cover crops are any non-cash crop grown to the primary cash crop. These crops have the potential to increase soil organic matter, reduce erosion, improve soil structure, and promote water infiltration. No-till farming also accrues these same benefits because the no-till drill plants seed without tilling the soil, which decreases disturbance and increases soil health.
These management adjustments do not come without the aid of resources from the Clay County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) as well as the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRSC). Both offices aided Grefsrud in implementing his no-till and cover crop practices as well as re-planting his pastures and getting water out to his cattle herd. Grefsrud also utilizes the Clay County SWCD’s no-till drill rental program to plant some of his fields.
Because of the current and future best management practices implicated in his farming operation, Grefsrud officially became a certified water quality producer on October 1, 2024, where water quality is protected, and soil erosion is reduced.
“It’s important to take care of what you have and to be open-minded on new things rather than only relying on conventional practices,” Grefsrud said. “Our operation shows that you can work with mother nature to take care of the soil and recycle nutrients and still be a profitable farm.”
Posted In: MAWQCP
