The Blanchard River Demonstration Farms Network (BRDFN) is a joint partnership between U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Services and the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. BRDFN is a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative project designed to showcase and demonstrate leading edge conservation practices to improve Great Lakes water quality.
Partnerships
The agreement between USDA and Ohio Farm Bureau is a five-year, $1 million project. OFBF collaborated with stakeholders in Hardin and Hancock counties, as well as NRCS and other partners, in identifying the farms and farmers who are participating in the demonstration sites.
Objectives
The specific objectives of the project are to:
- Establish sites within the Blanchard River Watershed to test new and standard conservation systems in reducing phosphorus and sediment.
- Establish an efficient mechanism to share this technology and information with farmers, agribusiness, conservation agencies and the public.
- Create opportunities for others to test their research, provide technical assistance and develop program implementation.
- Share information and lessons learned from the Blanchard River Watershed throughout the Western Lake Erie Basin.
Supporting Partners
- Ag Credit
- Farm Credit Mid-America
- Hardin and Hancock County Farm Bureaus
- Hardin and Hancock Soil and Water Conservation Districts
- Blanchard River Watershed Partnership
- Legacy Farmers Cooperative
- Ohio AgriBusiness Association
- Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers
- Ohio Dairy Producers Association
- Ohio Department of Natural Resources
- Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts
- Ohio Pork Council
- Ohio Soybean Council
- The Ohio State University
- USDA Agricultural Research Service
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Ohio State University Extension
- Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
- Ohio Department of Agriculture
- Sunrise Cooperative
- The Nature Conservancy in Ohio
Meet the Farmers
Stateler Family Farms
Located in McComb, Ohio and owned and operated by Duane and Anthony Stateler. The Statelers farm corn, soybeans and wheat on approximately 600 acres in Hancock County and also operate a 7,200 head wean to finish swine operation. The Statelers have committed 243 acres to the Blanchard River Demonstration Farms Network.
Practices:
- Variable Rate Manure Application
- Cover Crops
- Drainage Water Management
- Animal Mortality Composting Facility
- Edge-of-Field Monitoring
- Wetland with Pollinator Habitat
- Home Septic System Replacement
- Phosphorus removal bed
Kurt Farms
Chris Kurt owns and operates Kurt Farms in Dunkirk, Ohio in Hardin County. The farm is 470 acres of corn and soybeans. Chris has committed 168 acres to the Blanchard River Demonstration Farms Network. Previously, Chris worked with The Nature Conservancy and Hardin Soil and Water Conservation District to construct a two-stage ditch on the demonstration farm site.
Practices:
- Two-Stage Ditch
- Phosphorus Removal Beds
- Filter Strips
- Blind Inlets
- Drainage Water Management
- Cover Crops
- Edge-of-Field Monitoring
- Abandoned Oil Well Removal
Kellogg Farms
Bill and Shane Kellogg own and operate Kellogg Farms in Forest, Ohio in Hardin County. The farm consists of 5000 acres of corn and soybeans. The Kelloggs have committed 305 acres to the Blanchard River Demonstration Farms Network.
Practices:
- Subsurface Nutrient Placement
- Cover Crops
- Reduced Tillage
- Abandoned Water Well Removal
- Grassed Waterway
- Pollinator Habitat
