2024 Elections
Blue Earth County residents will see a number of high-profile elected positions on their ballots when they head to the polls this November, but one race tends to go unnoticed.
Voters will be asked to select Bernie Paulson or David Turner for the position of Blue Earth Soil & Water Conservation District 1 supervisor. If you don’t know what a Soil & Water Conservation District is or what a supervisor does, you are not alone.
“Every election cycle we have people voting for our board, and most people tell us they have no idea what they’re voting for,” says Jerad Bach, District Manager of the county’s Soil and Water Conservation District.
So, here’s a quick run-down before you head to the polls.
Why the position matters
Soil and water conservation districts are political subdivisions of the state, established and organized in 1938 in response to the Dust Bowl of the 1930’s. District boundaries follow county lines, with 88 soil and water districts in Minnesota. But soil & water conservation districts aren’t just in Minnesota, they’re all over the country.
The Blue Earth County SWCD has 4 full-time staff members and is overseen by a board of five supervisors, all of which are elected by county voters. Supervisors serve a 4-year term representing their nominating district.
The majority of the work done by the board involves providing leadership and governance by developing policy, long range plans and budgets and overseeing state funding programs such as Reinvest in Minnesota & One Watershed One Plan.
“In overly simplistic terms, the soil and water board of supervisors approves state tax dollars that are being used locally to implement best management practices that are protective of water quality and soil health,” Bach explains. “Most of our programs are for agriculture: farmers, growers, producers.”
For example, a farmer who wants to incorporate cover crops or reduced tillage practices within their farming operation could apply to the district for funding. “Leaving a living root in the soil and creating cover during the non-growing season will allow the soil to stay on the field instead of ending up in our rivers and lakes.” Bach says.
SWCD supervisors meet monthly to discuss business, including state-grant allocations to landowners; district conservation priorities; coordination with other local units of government and state agencies; and legislative priorities. Supervisors do not receive a salary but receive compensation for attending meetings and expense reimbursements.
“We want to ensure that the people in these positions are making sound decisions so that we all have the best opportunity to protect our natural resources,” Bach says. “People often think, ‘I don’t care about agriculture.’ But you don’t need to be knowledgeable about agriculture to understand the importance of clean water.” Soil and Water Conservation Districts are funded through a variety of sources. Many of their program administration dollars and funding for landowner projects are state dollars allocated by the legislature and passed through the State Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR). General operating funds are obtained from BWSR, counties, fees for service and grants or partnership agreements with the federal government or other conservation organizations.
