News

Conservation Conversation on Climate Smart Agriculture and Water Quality
Farmers working with Fillmore County Soil and Water Conservation District

By Alison Leathers, September 30, 2025

Read the article here

Fillmore SWCD would like to recognize and congratulate
Carter and Abigail Lee and their family of Rushford, MN.

The Lee family has been utilizing Federal dollars through the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) and One Watershed One Plan (1W1P) funding to establish pasture management by converting cropland and permanent pasture to a rotational grazing system. They have also been improving their forestland and addressing and removing invasive species.

Their current cow/calf operation utilizing many sensitive features throughout the grazing system, which includes management of trout streams, highly erodible land and DNR grasslands. With their grazing system, this allows them to have green grass pastures for 8 months of the years and then they switch to their season long cover crop fields which helps give their pastures their needed resting period.

With all their dedicated time and their willingness to promote conservation, Fillmore SWCD is honored to have the Lee family as our Conservationists of the Year.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is proposing to amend existing Minnesota Rules Chapter 7020 governing animal feedlots.
Plan to attend one of the upcoming meetings in our area for the feedlot rule changes that are going to happen.

• June 24 — New Ulm 9:30-11:30 a.m. New Ulm Community Center
• June 24 — Albert Lea 2:30-4:30 p.m. Riverland Community College
• June 26 — Chatfield 9:30-11:30 a.m. Chatfield Center for the Arts
• June 26 — Zumbrota 2:30-4:30 p.m. Zumbrota VFW

Visit www.pca.state.mn.us to learn more.

Fillmore SWCD Tree Pick up Dates
April 24th 10:00 am-7:00pm
April 25th 10:00am -4:00 pm

Location will be at Fillmore County Fairgrounds
“The Big Barn” signs will be posted.