Farmers in Whatcom County lead the way in environmental protection

Whatcom County dairy farmer, university professor and agroecologist Karen Steensma (left) explains environmental protection measures she's implemented on her Lynden-area farm.

For generations, Whatcom County's family farmers have taken stewardship of the land seriously.

In recent years, local family farmers have led hundreds of projects to restore streams, conserve water, protect salmon and so much more.

​Here are some of the highlights:

• Over 200 miles of streamside restored in Whatcom County alone, much of it alongside farm fields
• Six anaerobic manure digesters installed to generate green power and reduce bacterial contamination in over 12% of local dairy waste so far
• Nearly all raspberry and blueberry crops converted to water-saving drip irrigation
• $4.2 million in cost-share funding plus much more of farmers’ own money spent to install 10 large steel manure storage tanks, cover ditches and make other improvements on farms to protect water quality just since 2016
• Four farms currently volunteering as “Discovery Farms” where nearly $1 million worth of nutrient management research is being done on how to better protect water quality
• The dairy community supported and adopted some of the strictest manure regulations in the nation in 1998, and in the 20 years since have seen major improvements in water quality
• The dairy community secured funding through the Department of Agriculture to continue dairy inspections under the manure regulations when Ecology in early 2000s cut the inspections from their budget
• Over 25 farms preparing for extensive new DNA research to determine contamination sources
• At least 40 farms are currently using grant funding to build on-farm improvements to protect water quality
• Trumpeter swan recovery experts credit farmers for providing habitat for the over 20,000 swans that winter in northwest Washington
• Over 200 Whatcom County farms have developed nutrient management plans that help protect water quality. In 2017 alone, over 100 small farms signed up for new plans with the Whatcom Conservation District
• Hundreds of acres of farmland have been set aside for wildlife habitat including one 40 acre parcel between Lynden and Blaine
• Over $1 million in grant funding spent on fish passage improvements, including installing 3 new fish-friendly floodgates and replacing culverts with new bridges.

And these are just the highlights! There are many more stories that haven't been told, and many family farmers who are doing things big and small each day to protect the environment around them. If you know of more stories we should be sharing with the community, please email Dillon Honcoop at [email protected].

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