Conservation groups are forming a partnership with food and agriculture businesses to push for more sustainable farming and cleaner water in Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska. The Midwest Row Crop Collaborative includes diverse members like The Nature Conservancy and the Environmental Defense Fund as well as Pepsi and Walmart. Jill Kolling, director of sustainability at Cargill, says they plan to raise four-million dollars over the next five years to fund on-farm conservation programs.
Other members of the group include the World Wildlife Fund, Monsanto, Kellogg and General Mills.
Larry Clemens, with The Nature Conservancy, says aligning with agriculture across a vast landscape is a way to ensure food production goals are met while maintaining a commitment to land, water and wildlife resources.
The collaborative’s initial efforts will support the Soil Health Partnership, a farmer-led conservation program of the National Corn Growers Association.
