By Scout Nelson
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided not to ask for extra water in 2024 for a place called the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. This is super good news because needing extra water could have hurt the local economy, especially for the farmers near the refuge.
Leaders of the Kansas Corn Growers Association (KCGA) are really encouraged by this. They, along with local groups like GMD 5 and WaterPACK, have been trying to get people to save water on their own. They believe this good news will help keep the momentum going.
In a note to the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Division of Water Resources, the Fish and Wildlife Service gave them a big thank you. They appreciated all the hard work and ideas from leaders and local folks. This decision means everyone can work together more before any new plans start in 2025.
Groups like Kansas Corn, WaterPACK, GMD5, and others have been really involved in this, looking out for farmers who use water on over 452,000 acres of land for growing crops.
Kansas Corn CEO Josh Roe emphasizes the importance of water conservation for nearly half a million acres of land, stating that they have been working with GMD 5 leaders to secure funding for a water plan and with Governor Laura Kelly to increase water conservation funds.
Pat Janssen, the president of WaterPACK, shared that Kansas Corn and other farming groups have been a big help. “They’ve really supported us and helped get federal money to let farmers save water, which is really important for our local towns and schools,” Janssen noted.
The leaders at the Kansas Corn Growers Association are excited to keep working on this issue. They represent their members when it comes to laws and rules and promote corn, which is the top crop in Kansas.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-dszc
Categories: Kansas, Crops, Corn