Good afternoon, 

In case you missed it, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) today announced that the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Land O’Lakes, Inc. will receive its first-ever Public-Private Partnership Award for collaboration on the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program.

We encourage you to review the media release and photos from NASDA, which provides additional details about the recognition, available at this link: https://www.nasda.org/news/nasda-to-honor-public-servants-to-agriculture-throughout-annual-meeting

Below are statements from Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson and Matt Carstens, senior vice president of Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN, regarding this exciting award.

Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson:

“I thank NASDA for this recognition. As the Land of 10,000 lakes and home of the headwaters to the Mississippi River, Minnesota has a deep and personal connection to water,” said Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson. “We realize the value in protecting this precious resource; however, this task can’t be accomplished alone. That’s why this public-private partnership between the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Land O’Lakes is so important. Together, the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program can provide real solutions that help farmers protect our water while maintaining profitability.”

Matt Carstens, Senior Vice President, Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN:

“Land O’Lakes is proud to work alongside the Minnesota Department of Agriculture on a public-private approach to water quality that helps maximize the benefits of on-farm conservation across Minnesota, and we appreciate NASDA for this recognition,” said Matt Carstens, senior vice president of Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN. “Farmers along with their ag retailers are doing excellent work across Minnesota to safeguard water quality, and they benefit when the public and private sectors come together to help amplify their stewardship. We look forward to continuing this shared effort to help preserve and protect Minnesota’s land and water for the future.”

About the Minnesota Agriculture Water Quality Certification Program

In 2012, Governor Mark Dayton signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the federal government that formalized a state-federal commitment to developing and implementing the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Ag Water Quality Certification Program. The program is a voluntary opportunity for farmers and agricultural landowners to take the lead in implementing conservation practices that protect our water. To-date, the program has enrolled 635 producers and 397,595 acres of Minnesota farm land since it began as a pilot in 2013. This has resulted in over 115 million pounds of soil being retained on the land per year.