Minnesota. Dept. of Agriculture. Agriculture Resources Management and Development Division.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture coordinated the Minnesota River Agriculture Team [MnRat], an advisory team of producers, agencies and other agricultural professionals working together on nonpoint source pollution issues. Various studies, done prior to 1993 by several state and federal agencies, had determined that the water quality of the Minnesota River was poor and that agriculture was a potential contributor of nonpoint source pollution. In 1993, the state's Agriculture Department dedicated funding for the Minnesota River Initiative; the aim to involve the agricultural community in identifying and solving those pollution problems. The following agencies and groups were represented on the team: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Board of Water & Soil Resources, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Soil Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Metropolitan Waste Control Commission, Region Nine Development Commission, and University of Minnesota.

Through workshops and publications, MnRat sought to inform farmers of local, state, and federal services and programs that could help them control the pollution of the Minnesota River. It also worked to open a communications dialogue between farmers and government agencies, learn about farmer's needs, and solicit ideas from them so a coordinated approach to solving pollution problems could be carried out on the river.

MnRat was scheduled to cease in August 1997, although a number of items in its records post-date that period.

From the description of Minnesota River Agriculture Team records, 1993-2003 (bulk 1993-1997). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 313870036