Spotlight Series
Gaining Trust to Advance Water Quality and Soil Health in Minnesota’s Key Watersheds
Dennis Fuchs, Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District Administrator, works to connect farmers with financial and technical assistance to advance soil health and water quality in Central Minnesota.
Stearns County, Minnesota lies just a few hours south of the headwaters of the Mississippi River, the backbone of so much of American agriculture. Every day, farmers and landowners in Stearns County make decisions that impact the water quality and ecological health of communities and ecosystems in the world’s fourth-largest watershed.
One of their key partners in improving these environmental outcomes in Dennis Fuchs, administrator with the Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). Born and raised in Stearns County, Fuchs has spent over 25 years working alongside local farmers, becoming a trusted adviser to producers as they advance their responsibility to improve regional water quality.
“We have great conservationist farmers in this region,” shares Fuchs with pride. “Gaining the trust of these farmers is one of the most important things I feel that we can do as a Soil and Water Conservation District.”
Alongside a team of SWCD staff, Fuchs supports over a hundred farmers, many of whom who grow commodity crops as well as produce dairy and poultry, as they adopt conservation practices such as nutrient management techniques and edge of field practices.
“We help make sure that farmers are implementing the Four R’s – right rate, right time, right place, and right location – when applying nutrients on their fields,” explains Fuchs. “We really want them to feel comfortable coming into our office and asking for technical assistance, and maybe even receiving financial assistance, to help offset the cost of the conservation practice they are pursuing.”
To help farmers analyze the impacts of new practices on their operation, Fuchs supports farmers to analyze data in the Fieldprint Platform. By providing direct technical support, he guides farmers through understanding how their management decisions are affecting on-farm sustainability indicators like water quality and greenhouse gas emissions.
“Farmers appreciate learning more about where they stand with respect to the sustainability information that is provided through the Fieldprint Platform,” shares Fuchs.
Dennis Fuchs
Stearns County Soil and Water
Conservation District Administrator
Waite Park, Minnesota
“Field to Market is moving us toward a consistent definition of sustainability across the supply chain. That is something we’ve not had in the past. Agreement as to how we will define sustainability provides a better target for farmers.”
Dennis Fuchs
Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District Administrator
Waite Park, Minnesota
The personal advising that Fuchs and SWCD provides is paying off for local farmers.
“As I learned more about soil health and biology, it became clear that we were doing something wrong on our land,” recalls Joe Borgerding, a farmer in Stearns County who sought out conservation practices after facing challenges with his runoff and depleted soil health. Working with the SWCD, Borgerding was able to identify practices that moved the needle. “Little changes were fun to see; it kept me motivated to continue to implement conservation practices and improve my operation,” he shares.
Rooted in personal trust and direct assistance, Fuchs and the SWCD are scaling their efforts to make an impact with partners across the value chain through Field to Market. Stearns County SWCD is a key partner on the Farming for the Future initiative in Minnesota, which unites project partners such as The Nature Conservancy, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Environmental Initiative to measure the environmental and financial impact of whole farm planning in the region. The SWCD is also exploring how they can leverage their role as trusted local advisers to support farmers interested in enrolling in carbon markets.
“By merging state programs with the Fieldprint Platform, we can work more closely with ag retailers and move us forward to achieve our sustainability goals effectively and efficiently,” explains Fuchs. "Efficiency is one component we are really focusing on with our pilot projects.”
As the partnerships and opportunities available for conservation-minded farmers continue to evolve, Fuchs continues to ground his work in the personal approach which drive many of the region’s producers.
“A lot of my friends and family are farming in Central Minnesota, and there are a lot of folks doing what it takes to protect our resources. I really love to be part of that movement,” reflects Fuchs. “What we’re doing is leaving these farmers in a situation where they can pass their land on to their children in better shape than it is now. And that really is exciting to be a part of.”
"What we’re doing is leaving these farmers in a situation where they can pass their land on to their children in better shape than it is now. And that really is exciting to be a part of.”
Dennis Fuchs
Stearns County Soil and Water
Conservation District Administrator
Waite Park, Minnesota
