ST. PAUL, Minn. (GRAY) – Communities across the US are observing Climate Week this week, including Minnesota. Climate Week is an initiative that looks to increase awareness of climate action.
In Minnesota, that meant highlighting sustainable agriculture at an apple orchard in the north Twin Cities metro.
“We really wanted to highlight climate week. And as we are here, we’ve heard directly from [the owners about] the benefits right of having these things in place,” said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan (DFL-Minnesota).
Flanagan and several state commissioners visited Pine Tree Apple Orchard, an orchard in White Bear Lake that’s part of the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program, or MAWQCP, a program that certifies, and rewards, farmers that use sustainable irrigation.
Pine Tree uses trickle irrigation, a method that brings water closer to the crops and minimizes water lost to evaporation.
Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Peterson says the MAWQCP has grown in recent years.
“It’s so awesome to see that program grow. I was around when it started, and I always thought we were at 10 farmers, [and wondered] how’s it going to go? And now we’re at 1500 farmers, and over 1.1 million acres [that are part of the program],” said Peterson.
State leaders also highlighted both local and federal investments.
“[There have been] nearly $3.5 billion in federal climate grants that Minnesota has received since 2022,” said Flanagan.
Pine Tree Apple Orchard also showed off other measures, like hail netting, that prevent them from losing their apple crop to the elements.
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Publish date : 2024-09-26 15:17:00
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