Minnesota Highlights Link Between Agricultural Conservation Efforts and Higher Profits

Farmers enrolled in the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP) saw nearly double the profits of non-certified farms, according to recent data from the Minnesota State Agricultural Centers of Excellence. The 2025 “Influence of Intensified Environmental Practices on Farm Profitability” study examined financial and crop and livestock production information from farmers enrolled in the Minnesota State Farm Business Management education program. The 153 MAWQCP farms in the study saw more gross cash farm income and net farm income in 2024 than non-certified farms. This is the sixth year the Minnesota State Agricultural Centers of Excellence has compared MAWQCP and non-MAWQCP farms. Every year has shown a positive return on investment for whole-farm conservation management that farmers implement to become certified.