(Brown County, Wis.) – Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach’s 2022 budget proposal puts aside $10,000 in the Land and Water Conservation budget as part of the overall goal to improve water quality and soil health.

“Brown County will continue to protect and conserve our precious natural resources through dedicated funding,” says Streckenbach. “Since being elected, I’ve continued to advocate and support programs that our Land and Water Conservation department and the Fox Demo Farms Network have created to demonstrate the effectiveness and adaptability of conservation systems to reduce erosion and sedimentation, control phosphorus runoff, and address pollution issues.”

Land and Water Conservation is planning several initiatives to continuing growing the number of cover crops and no-till acreage in Brown County, including improvement projects like adding wetlands and pollinator plantings in partnership with the Lower Fox Demonstration Farms Network.

“The additional $10,000 provided to the Land and Water Conservation Department (LWCD)’s budget will be used to implement additional soil health practices that reduce sediment and phosphorous delivery to our local waterways,” says Mike Mushinski, Brown County Conservationist. “Additionally, these funds will be used to restore wetlands, establish streamside buffers, and pollinator plantings that help our natural communities in Brown County.”

“The Fox Demo Farms is completing its first year of a two-year pilot mentorship program, where we are leveraging the lessons learned over the past 7 years and pairing experienced farmers with farmers who are just beginning to adopt conservation practices,” says Whitney Prestby, Natural Resource Educator with the UW-Madison Division of Extension. “We’re excited to evaluate this program and identify ways to grow it in the coming year.”

“Wisconsin NRCS has an excellent partnership with the Brown County Land and Water Conservation Department and looks forward to continuing to improve the soil health and water quality within our Great Lakes Basin,” says Barry Bubolz, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Area GLRI (Great Lakes Restoration Initiative) Coordinator. “The partnership between NRCS and Brown County LWCD has enabled the Lower Fox River Demonstration Farms to be very successful in showcasing strategies to reduce soil loss and improve water quality on the local landscape.”

You can view Executive Streckenbach’s 2022 budget proposal online at: https://www.browncountywi.gov/government/county-executive/general-information/county-budget/. The entire Brown County Board of Supervisors will be holding its annual budget meeting on October 27th, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. at the Resch Expo.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email