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BISMARCK, N.D. — Parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin are dotted with so-called “prairie mudholes,” wetlands in depressions that fill with meltwater and rain. Some are ephemeral — they come and go when conditions are right — while others are “essentially permanent,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s description of the landscape.

The EPA also calls the Prairie Pothole Region “one of the world’s most important wetlands” because of its importance for waterfowl species and for reducing downstream flooding. The area is also known for its fertile soils, allowing agriculture and potholes to coexist. However, because the EPA regulates agricultural activities in the region, many agency employees in places like Washington, DC, do not have first-hand experience with the region and the practical aspects of farming in and around the Prairie Potholes.

Jenny Schlecht / Agweek

As part of its 30th annual E-Tour, the North Dakota Grain Growers Association sought to change that on Tuesday, June 25, by giving EPA staff a bird’s eye view of the Prairie Pothole region.

During the annual tour, the NDGGA brings EPA employees from offices across the country to North Dakota to give them an up-close look at modern agriculture. The 2024 tour, held June 24-28 in Bismarck, will feature a program packed with visits to farms and agribusinesses throughout the central part of the state.

EPA officials were originally scheduled to conduct flights over the Prairie Pothole region on Monday, but due to that day’s heat and humidity, the flights were postponed until Tuesday morning – a slightly cooler, more pleasant and safer day for flights.

Kayla Pulvermacher, executive director of the NDGGA, did not participate in any of the flights herself, but said a pilot told her the angle of the sun on Tuesday morning was perfect for illuminating the bodies of water that dot the landscape east of Bismarck.

The EPA employees who arrived on the first of the two flights from Bismarck Aero Center were quite impressed with the view and agreed to take a seat from anyone in the second group who did not want to fly. However, there was no one interested.

Kaitlin Picone, a senior stakeholder engagement advisor in EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs, had never been to North Dakota and was excited to see the potholes and learn about agriculture firsthand.

Jenny Schlecht / Agweek

“I’m really excited to be here and get back to learning about the different things, the different crops that are grown here and experiencing and seeing the potholes on the prairie and, you know, a lot of the different regional issues and the geography that are typical of the potholes in North Dakota,” she said.

One of her tasks is to gather feedback on the impact of possible regulations. Experiences like the E-Tour help with this, she says.

“It’s incredibly important. Many of us don’t have the opportunity to get out into the field on a regular basis and learn about farming,” she said. “Many of our people have an agronomic or other background, but some people don’t.”

Only by going to a farm and talking to farmers can you gain new perspectives, learn what people are facing and how the EPA’s decisions affect farmers, she said.

Pulvermacher, who is in her first year as executive director, said the NDGGA has been dedicated to presenting the state’s agriculture to EPA officials for 30 years, showing that the organization is not just talking when it comments on regulations.

“I honestly believe this is the most important thing we do as an organization,” she said.

Casey Burchill, an NDGGA director from Valley City, said touring the potholes is an important part of the E-Tour. Burchill grows corn, soybeans, spring wheat and winter wheat, and Valley City is in the middle of the Prairie Pothole Region.

Jenny Schlecht / Agweek

The Prairie Pothole Region “covers a pretty large portion of our state,” he said, and he believes it is important to show regulators the impact buffer zones around potholes could have on farmers in the region.

Buffer zones around water bodies are seen as a way to prevent fertilizers and pesticides from entering the water cycle. But farmers question how such zones will work around potholes that may be present one year but not many others, or even only during part of a growing season, depending on when and how the rain falls. It is critical that regulators take a look at the region for themselves, NDGGA officials said.

While Burchill is in his second year as director and experiencing his first e-tour, he said the NDGGA has heard over the years how influential their work as hosts of the tour has been. Officers early in their careers have participated in the tour and later moved up in the agency, leveraging the knowledge they gained in North Dakota.

“When you talk to our people who have talked to the EPA people, you can see that the insights they bring back from that have a big impact on some of the decisions they make,” he said. “It gives you a little more practical insight into what they’re doing. So yeah, it’s a great topic of conversation over dinner or just waiting here at the airport. It’s very good.”

Burchill said there are a lot of sensitive regulatory issues in agriculture, including regulations related to the Endangered Species Act and various pesticide labels.

Picone encourages farmers and agricultural groups to continue to actively participate in EPA’s regulations and decisions.

“We’re talking a lot right now about the interface between the Endangered Species Act and our regulations and how we’re going to do outreach and explain things in the future,” she said. “I think we’re looking for a lot of feedback on that.”

While EPA regulations are of great interest to North Dakota agriculture, both Burchill and Pulvermacher said the farm bill remains the highest priority and concern for farmers’ groups.