MORSE & COTEAU HOLMES, LA – Last week, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s Office of Soil and Water Conservation (LDAF-OSWC) visited two farms to learn about Best Management Practices (BMPs) on rice production agricultural lands to increase air and water quality, wildlife habitat, soil health, and more. The purpose of the visits was to
film the story of implementing BMPs on the farm, and share the experience of two south Louisiana rice farming families.
Through coordination with local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), landowners and cooperators are encouraged to implement voluntary conservation practices to address natural resource concerns. Similar to the Natural Resource Conservation Service's (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and the USA Rice/Ducks Unlimited Rice Stewardship Program, 319 Nonpoint Source (NPS) Pollution Abatement Program, funded through EPA's Clean Water Act Section 319 offers cost-share incentives for the implementation of conservation practices that will reduce and minimize sediment, pesticides, nutrients, and oxygen-demanding organic matter leaving fields and entering local waterways.
The first stop was Simon Farms in Morse, where conservation and innovation are a must for fourth and fifth generation farmers, Glenn and Wes, as they work closely with the Acadia SWCD, Crowley NRCS, Ducks Unlimited, and USA Rice to discover and learn about new opportunities and conservation measures to increase production and soil health while decreasing input costs and time.
“NRCS often relies on word-of-mouth from cooperators to encourage others to learn more and participate in programs across the state,” said Jacob Jarreau, lead planner for the Crowley NRCS. “The Simons have been a strong advocate for conservation practices, and never shy away from an opportunity to discuss the importance of managing land wisely and the financial and technical assistance available for landowners and farmers for conservation.”
The second stop, in Coteau Holmes, was at Durand Farms, a rice and crawfish farm operated by the Durand Brothers, Jeff, Greg, and CJ, who are well known amongst their peers and communities for partnering with conservation organizations to monitor and address resource concerns in their fields.
Kyle Soileau, rice stewardship coordinator for Ducks Unlimited, described the Rice Stewardship Program monitoring process which allows for maximum sediment retention in fields, increasing the quality of the water drained prior to harvest of rice and following the crawfish seasons.
Jeff demonstrated the irrigation process, pointing out that surface water from the nearby Bayou Veillon is discolored and turbid when it’s initially pumped onto the field. This discoloration is due to suspended sediment in the bayou water, which as it is being pumped in, is filtered by the standing rice crop causing sediments to slowly settle out. When this irrigation water is drained, it leaves the field cleaner and clearer than when it was pumped onto the field.
The Durand brothers ensure that all fields are adequately leveled to ensure minimal water quantities are needed for irrigation, and to reduce water velocity during drainage, eliminating soil erosion from the field. This beneficial effect is enhanced by the use of water control structures at drainage outlets, further ensuring erosion prevention.
Jeff, who serves on both the USA Rice Sustainability and Conservation Committees and is co-chair of the USA Rice/Ducks Unlimited Rice Stewardship Partnership, was pleased to report that “the impacts from conservation practices have not only increased our soil health but also provide safe harbor and wildlife habitat for migratory and non-migratory waterfowl and many other wetland dependent species.”
“Both the Simon and Durand operations are models of what the American farmer should be,” said Soileau. “Although everyone is looking at crop yields and dollars as the bottom line, conservation, soil health, and water quality must be heavily involved to leave a better farm for the next generation, and these families have made that a priority in everything they do.”