Program Boosts Conservation, Opens New Revenue Options for Producers
January 8, 2023 A collaboration between Quail Forever, Cotton Incorporated, BASF Agricultural Solutions, and the United Sorghum Checkoff Program has added a Precision Agriculture & Conservation Specialist to support growers in the Texas High Plains for the group’s efforts to boost farm profitability and deliver tangible environmental benefits.
Similar programs are already in place in the Southeast and Mid-South.
Joshua Michna, a Texas native and Texas Tech graduate with a background in precision agriculture, will offer growers habitat-based solutions including soil health, water quality, carbon sequestration, and rural economic development while maintaining high farm revenues. The goal is to use cutting-edge technology and voluntary wildlife conservation practices to identify acres of farmland opportunity. By developing a precision agriculture business plan and targeting return on investment at a sub-field level, Michna will help farmers define areas to explore alternative agricultural practices, voluntary conservation programs, cost-share, and other funding opportunities to increase profits and success for a producer’s operation.
Michna’s role adds further momentum to Quail Forever’s collaborative agricultural initiatives to deliver sustainability outcomes. The group’s Cotton Sustainability & Quail Recovery Project began in 2019 in cooperation with Cotton Incorporated. The addition of the Sorghum for Birds initiative with the United Sorghum Checkoff Program and the recent national sponsorship announcement with BASF Agricultural Solutions have helped expand Quail Forever’s grower relationships in focal regions for upland birds.
“Texas Panhandle cotton and sorghum growers are committed to supporting a healthy environment and bright economic future for their families and communities, and quail, pheasants, and other wildlife will benefit from our efforts to work together here,” says Brent Rudolph, Director of Sustainability Partnerships for Quail Forever.”
“This program is a great opportunity for sorghum and cotton producers in Texas to apply production data and precision ag technologies to identify less profitable acres and create biodiverse habitats,” adds Jesse Daystar, Chief Sustainability Officer and Vice President for Cotton Incorporated. “The project outcomes will benefit the environment and native bird species surrounding cotton farmland while helping producers increase profitability.”
“This program provides the opportunity for growers to identify alternatives for lower–yielding acres that are both environmentally sustainable and economically viable,” says Ray Daniels, Sustainability Manager for BASF’s North American Seeds. “With access to the resources provided by the Precision Ag and Conservation Specialist, growers will have more options to consider when planning how to maximize their land use in 2023 and beyond.”
Michna, who will be based in Lubbock, TX, will work closely with ag retailers such as implement dealers, software companies, grain cooperatives, certified crop advisors, ag lenders, and others to help support sustainability practices throughout the Panhandle.
Growers seeking more information about precision agriculture and conservation solutions in Texas can contact Michna at jmichna@quailforever.org or (806–) 696-9422.
Cotton Incorporated helped provide information for this article.
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