After notifying a northwest Wisconsin town last October of their intent to challenge a local ordinance that regulates livestock farming, two residents last week made good on their promise.
Category: Environment
Posted inEconomy, Environment
As investors pay top-dollar for land, farmers are often priced out
Five Wisconsin counties saw a producer decline of at least 15% over five years while agriculture production sales increased.
Posted inEnvironment
How many manure spills is too many? St. Croix County residents scrutinize big farm’s new owner
The new owner of a large St. Croix County dairy farm with a history of manure spills is seeking to build trust among watchful residents who worry about deteriorating water quality.
Posted inEnvironment
Upper Midwest tribal spearfishing: A long and violent history of denied treaty rights
Ojibwe and other Indigenous people are fighting to keep their way of life vibrant in the face of new threats like climate change and lakeshore development.
Posted inEnvironment
‘We should have a sense of urgency’ as farm drainage tile drives nutrient pollution
An increased use of agricultural drainage tile is one reason a 2025 deadline to reduce nitrate and phosphorus entering the Gulf of Mexico by 20% is unlikely.
Posted inEnvironment
Could the Mississippi River benefit from Chesapeake Bay’s strategy to improve water quality?
Environmental groups and policy analysts in the Mississippi River basin have looked to a regional cleanup program in the Chesapeake Bay as a model.
Posted inEconomy, Environment
Data centers in Wisconsin and Chicago area offer energy peril and promise
Southeastern Wisconsin and the Chicago area are emerging as major players in the national data center explosion, most notably with Microsoft’s $3.3 billion planned data complex near Racine.
Posted inEnvironment
Not just a Gulf problem: Mississippi River farm runoff pollutes upstream waters
Nutrient pollution doesn’t just contribute to the Gulf of Mexico’s dead zone, it’s causing problems upstream, too. Across the Midwest, excess nitrogen is leaching from soil into groundwater, putting drinking water at risk.
Posted inEnvironment
At the mouth of the Mississippi, Louisiana bears the burden of upstream runoff. Why doesn’t it push for solutions?
Despite contributing little to the runoff problem, Louisiana bears the brunt. The state has the power to call on the EPA for a multi-state conference but has never done so.
Posted inEnvironment
Farm to Trouble: As conservation lags, so does progress in slashing Gulf of Mexico’s ‘dead zone’
Just one year away from a 2025 deadline to reduce nitrate and phosphorus entering the Gulf of Mexico by 20%, success seems unlikely.
Posted inEconomy, Environment
‘Precision ag’ promised a farming revolution. It’s coming, just slowly
Precision agriculture has long promised to provide more granular data — and new tech to use it — for farmers facing pressure to increase yields while being more environmentally friendly. It’s had successes, but some of the loftiest promises are still out of reach.
Posted inEnvironment
For a century, this upper Mississippi River refuge has been an ecological oasis. What comes next?
The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Dozens of events this summer are aimed at getting people out to explore its beauty and unique value.