Environmental Initiative

Drinking water protection is a shared responsibility, and this summer in Chatfield, it's also a shared creative project. Artist Mary Beth Magyar is working with community members to build two public mosaics rooted in the region's karst geology, with sessions open at the farmers market, local schools, senior living facilities, and community events.

Learn more about the project: https://buff.ly/eOz0VFO

Thank you to the Minnesota Department of Health for their support of the Source Water Protection Collaborative through the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment.

Source Water Protection Collaborative artist in residence Mary Beth Magyar set up at the Chatfield Growers Market for the first time last week! Chatfield residents came out to create mosaic tiles for a public art installation while learning about their local watershed and how to protect their drinking water.

Mary Beth will be at the Growers Market on Thursdays and the Chatfield Center for the Arts on Wednesdays all spring and summer. The tiles made by the community will become public mosaics at the Chatfield Center for the Arts and Chatfield City Hall.

Want to support this work? Reach out to Sacha Seymour-Anderson at [email protected] or visit our website to learn more: https://buff.ly/eIUuShB

Thank you to Minnesota Department of Health for their support through the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment. 💚

Too many conservation programs struggle to reach farmers not because of low interest, but because of funding bottlenecks, misaligned reporting cycles, and under-resourced teams. This research is the start of a real conversation about what it takes to fix that.

So proud of the work we put into this with Trust In Food and excited to see what it brings!

Read the op-ed: https://www.thefencepost.com/news/why-good-conservation-programs-still-struggle-to-reach-farmers/?utm_content=377321601&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin&hss_channel=lcp-47668050

Producers are ready to learn more about implementing conservation agriculture practices. The opportunity is making sure our programs are ready to reach them.

New research from Trust In Food and Environmental Initiative shows that farmer interest in conservation agriculture is strong and growing. And the good news for funders and implementors is that the path to faster, more effective enrollment is clearer than ever: better alignment on resources, reporting cycles, and the relationship-building that truly moves producers to act.

The next step starts with open, honest conversations about what it really takes to connect producers with the programs they need.

Read the full op-ed: https://hubs.ly/Q04fPHZw0