Thinking Outside the Box About Biodiversity
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Why would a farmer who makes a living carefully cultivating crops decide to grow or care for weeds on purpose? The answer to that question is that some types of weeds — when grown specifically in areas bordering farm fields — serve as habitats and forage for pollinators and wildlife. These weeds don’t interfere with growing crops, but they can help improve biodiversity on the farm. At Corteva, biodiversity is important to us and it’s a part of our sustainability goals. Currently, we’re collaborating on several innovative projects that can make it easier for farmers to plant and maintain biodiverse areas near farms and fields.
Efficient planting for biodiverse buffers
Farmers have long been encouraged to plant or leave untouched the pollinator-friendly plants at the edges of their fields, particularly milkweed in the Midwest, which attracts monarch butterflies. However, manually cultivating certain weeds, including milkweeds, can be challenging as sowing milkweed seed directly into the soil is a labor-intensive process. Instead, milkweed can be first be grown to the seedling stage in a nursery, then transplanted, but this process is costly and time consuming.
A group of scientists at Cornell University had a better idea: Develop pellets of biodiverse seed that can be deposited by planters. The Cornell researchers, along with Kannar Earth Science, devised a way to combine different types of native seed, including milkweed, into a pellet similar in size, shape and weight to corn seed. The pellets work with existing row crop planters and grain drills, allowing farmers to more quickly and easily put down large areas of seed to grow biodiverse buffer areas. Corteva will be testing this technology at some of the company’s research centers and providing insights back to the Cornell and Kannar research teams as they move toward a product that is ready for a farmer or landowner to use. This solution could make it much simpler to scale up conservation efforts in the future, using existing practices and equipment.
Corteva partnership offers seed for wildlife food source
Another innovative path to increased biodiversity is even closer to home for Corteva and its employees. Corteva has launched a new program in partnership with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever that will offer seed to Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever chapters and participating employees in the pilot states of Iowa, Indiana, Illinois and Ohio. Participants will plant the seed on their own land in targeted areas that meet specific requirements, where it can attract and feed birds, deer and other foraging wildlife. The eventual goal is to grow 20,000 acres of high-quality food for these birds and animals. Employees who participate in this opportunity can directly contribute to improved biodiversity in their own communities.
These are just two initiatives Corteva has undertaken to improve biodiversity at our business operations, on the farms we serve, and in the communities where we live. With a creative approach to supporting biodiversity, we can help our land stay healthy and productive for future farming.