With the state’s buffer law deadline of Nov. 1 in sight, Minnesota farmers are looking at ways to become compliant if they have public waterways that need additional perennial vegetation.

Farmers are encouraged to visit with staff at their local soil and water conservation district office for financial and technical assistance.

Some farm groups pushed for a year's extension with the law. That did not go over well with Gov. Mark Dayton. As a compromise, the governor and lawmakers agreed to allow farmers to apply for a waiver at their local soil and water conservation district office by Nov. 1 to give them until July 1, 2018, to install buffers or alternative practices along the public waterways. This is an option for farmers who may face weather challenges this fall with harvest, and are not able to install buffers in a timely manner.

Public waters require a 50-foot average width and 30-foot minimum width of continuous buffer consisting of perennially rooted vegetation.

Steadfast belief in importance of high-quality water
Dayton has been firm in his belief that Minnesotans must do all they can to improve and maintain high-quality water. On more than one occasion, he has noted efforts at compromising on the law, such as taking out private ditch regulations, and the importance of working together for further progress on water quality issues.

He also has said he wants to see how the first year of buffer law implementation goes.

“If there are problems [found during the law’s first year], based on experience, we’ll come back next year to work them out,” he said at a press conference this spring.

Some farm organizations are encouraging their members to be cognizant of challenges they face regarding the buffer law so they can share those with the governor in the future.

According to the Board of Water and Soil Resources, around 91% of Minnesota’s public waterways, based on state and county estimates, reportedly already have adequate buffer protection, either because vegetation was already there or producers have planted it in recent years.

BWSR’s website has a lot of information about the buffer law. For example, it offers suggestions to landowners who want to plant buffers on their own, without funding from federal, state and/or local programs.

Buffer choices
Options for buffer vegetation include:

• Prairie vegetation. Native seed vendors can provide local buffer seed mixes to match site conditions. State seed mixes have also been developed by state agencies for a variety of conservation purposes (saturated buffers, biomass or biofuels, pollinator plantings, etc.). Buffers may be an opportunity to plant species beneficial to pollinators (milkweeds, black-eyed Susan, wild mints, asters, goldenrods, etc.) in addition to native grasses. Pesticide drift is a concern for pollinators, so forbs are not recommended in buffer strips that are 30 feet wide or less and adjacent to cropland where pesticides are applied.

• Hay and forage crops. Alfalfa, clovers and forage grasses can be used for buffer plantings. Natural Resources Conservation Service practice standard CPS-512 Forage and Biomass Planting, found in Agronomy Technical Note #31, provides seeding recommendations.

• Perennial grains. Grains that are perennial can be planted and later harvested from buffer areas. Kernza is an example of a species with increasing seed availability. More information is available about kernza and other perennial species on the website for the Forever Green Initiative at the University of Minnesota.

• Woody vegetation. In addition to its ability to stabilize soils, woody vegetation can provide many other landscape benefits. Species such as chokecherry, ninebark, prairie plum, highbush cranberry, indigo bush and dogwood provide habitat for pollinators, songbirds and other wildlife.

For more information, visit the BWSR What to Plant in Buffers webpage.