News

State corn grower, NRCS partnership one of a kind

A South Dakota Corn Growers Association sustainability specialist housed in a Natural Resources Conservation Service office is one of kind among state corn grower organizations.  The South Dakota Corn Growers’ new sustainability director, Jim Ristau formerly worked on farm bill issues for Pheasants Forever.

“So I have an intimate knowledge of the programs and how they’re applied,” Ristau told Brownfield Ag News, “and [I’m] able to identify acres on a piece of property or farmland that maybe helps to identify where would be a good location for conservation and then what is the right program to use.”

Ristau tells Brownfield the South Dakota Corn Growers partnership with NRCS is also unique with both the federal agency and commodity group working together to educate farmers about conservation practices and programs.

“We can merge several missions from several different perspectives rallying around things like soil health and water quality,” said Ristau.  “Those are good for farmers, they’re good for wildlife, they’re good for policy, they’re good for profitability.”

Ristau will divide time between USDA NRCS offices in Chamberlain, South Dakota, and Huron, South Dakota.

AUDIO: Jim Ristau (11 min. MP3)