June 17, 2013 — Farmers from South Dakota and fishermen from the Gulf will take a walk in each others’ shoes this summer as a part of a unique exchange program to raise awareness about conservation issues.
“It’s time to cross boundaries, whether state lines or mental barriers, to gain a greater understanding of conservation in America, as well as the role that businesses at both ends of the Mississippi River play in the sustainability of our clean water, abundant wildlife habitat, productive farm fields and fruitful fisheries,” said Tim Kizer, private lands field coordinator for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership,
The partnership is launching the “Barnyard to Boatyard Conservation Exchange,” which will bring three South Dakota farm couples to Cocodrie for a three-day excursion to learn about the Gulf of Mexico dead zone, coastal restoration efforts and the fishing industry. Three local couples involved in commercial fishing, tourism and recreational fishing will then travel to Sioux Falls, S.D., to learn about farming innovations and the realities of grain and livestock farming and ranching.
“The whole goal of this project to connect all these people that depend on natural resources to make a living. The fishers of the Gulf and the farmers of the Midwest are more connected than they realize,” Kizer said. “This is an interconnected ecosystem. And we need to preserve these natural resources so that both groups can continue to make a living.”