Perhaps the only good thing about global warming is that the conversation has moved beyond ‘if’ it’s happening, ‘who’ caused it, to ‘it’s here, let’s manage it.’

“We know things are changing, and as farmers we need to adapt and incorporate it into our risk management plan,” says Megan Dwyer, an Illinois farmer who also serves as Illinois Corn Growers Association nutrient loss reduction manager.

What’s old is new again. Conservation is back in fashion; that’s a good thing.

You can see this in the partnerships springing up between groups that may have not always shared a common vision. The National Corn Growers Association, for example, just launched a partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund to shine a light on conservation-minded farmers. The initiative, called Success in Stewardship Network, has a goal to build a network of corn farmers who are also conservation leaders.

“We feel this is critical for protecting our land and water for future generations,” says Callie Eideberg, director of ag policy and special projects at EDF. “We must break down the notion that only an elite group of farmers can improve environmental results. We want these practices to be adopted across all lands.” NCGA also initiated the Soil Health Partnership, a peer-to-peer network that promotes the adoption of soil health practices for economic and environmental benefit.

You can’t control weather. But you can build infrastructure and adopt practices that contain soil after a gully washer. You can stay on top of tiling projects, add buffer or filter strips, try strip or no-till, and plant cover crops that keep soil from wandering. All play a role in stashing carbon, conserving resources, and building soil health.

What about yield?

These practices must be economically sustainable. Are they?

Four years ago ICGA started its Precision Conservation Management Program to study economic benefits of real-world farm conservation practices. The program includes data from 350 farmers and offers valuable feedback on the most profitable practices. The most profitable nitrogen application system, for example, applied less than 40% of total N in the fall with the balance halved between pre-plant and sidedress applications in spring, at university recommended rates based on returns, not yield goals.

That means yield is not the only measure of success.

“To truly utilize the economic benefit of conservation practices, you must suspend the belief that higher corn yields equal increased profitability,” says PCM director Travis Deppe. “Obtaining high yields, and the higher input costs that goal often requires, may not be the best economic or conservation model for Illinois farms and Illinois farm families.”

That’s a bold public statement. It is no secret our industry encourages farmers to focus solely on yield, sometimes at the cost of our factory – the soil and environment. Yield is important but profit is what matters. And Corn Belt farmers are increasingly finding ways to profit even as they protect soil and climate-proof their business.

We applaud ICGA for taking a stand.

“The key takeaway is that these things have to pencil out in tough economic times while also providing environmental benefits,” says Dwyer. “We want to adopt more climate-smart practices, but not just because of climate change itself. We’re trying voluntary practices in nutrient loss, but a nutrient loss reduction strategy has to make sense on our farm. Whether that means cover crops to sequester leftover nitrogen after severe rains, I don’t know, but we have to be willing to look at these things.

“You need to find the things that work for your farm.”

To be sure, farmers already adopt weather-resilient practices whenever practical.

“In Washington, D.C. everyone talks about resiliency, but in the farm community we’re just putting on our boots and dealing with it,” says Bruce Knight, a South Dakota rancher and former chief of NRCS. “Irrigation systems are resilience for people plagued by drought; drainage systems are just the opposite. These things are normal functions, but we don’t always think of them as resilient strategy. Now it may pay for us to look at this more systematically.”

Living with uncertainty

Climate change is a huge challenge. Yet, farmers always rise up and innovate when they need to, whether it’s coping with low prices or five-inch rains.

“The question is, how do we handle the uncertainty and when do we change our operation?” asks Aaron Johnson, CEO at Farm Credit Illinois. “That question drives the need for information. People are anxious to learn and uncover new opportunities. That’s a good thing.

“In times of stability innovation takes a back seat. That’s why we’re seeing some of the innovation today.”

The opinions of the author are not necessarily those of Farm Futures or Farm Progress.