Third Generation Rancher Achieves Water Quality Certification
June 26, 2025 by Alyson Levig
Elizabeth and Matt Kahlstorf have joined the rising number of producers becoming water quality certified through the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP). This voluntary program certifies producers using conservation-minded practices to protect water quality by requiring an in-depth examination of field characteristics, crop rotation, tillage, nutrients, and pesticide management techniques, depending on the operation. For the Kahlstorfs, cattle are their primary focus. Still, they also raise meat and laying hens, hogs, and goats throughout their diversified farm, 211 Ranch LLC.
“This certification has helped us gain professional, technical assistance, which has assessed our current operation and offered ideas to help maintain healthier pastures, better water sources, best practices for animal welfare, and other operational insights that align with good, environmentally friendly goals,” Elizabeth said. “This is a huge deal as time is our most difficult asset as a two-person growing operation with full-time off-farm jobs.”
Matt is the third-generation beef cattle rancher tied to the over 180-acre operation. Taking on this role, he has invested hours of research into different cattle operations to incorporate aspects into their pasture, hayland, and woodland farm. Today, Matt and Elizabeth manage 50 head of cattle by practicing rotational grazing and silvopasture throughout their pasture and woodland acres. They utilize their small goat herd similarly to aid in noxious weed control rather than applying pesticides. The Kahlstorfs also manage fertility during winter by strategic bale grazing to spread the manure out on as much pasture as possible, and practice no-till on their long-term grass-hayland acres.
By definition, rotational grazing involves moving livestock to different pasture units to encourage the recovery of the previously grazed vegetation, while silvopasture is an agroforestry practice that integrates the management of both trees and livestock for products, and no-till is a technique for growing crops or pastures without disturbing the soil through tillage. Overall, all these management types help prevent soil erosion while promoting water quality throughout Elizabeth and Matt’s farming operation.
In the future, the Kahlstorfs hope to add the Climate Smart and Soil Health endorsements to their MAWQCP certification. These are two of the five available endorsements the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program offers, with the remaining three being Wildlife, Integrated Pest Management, and Irrigation Water Management. These achievements are for certified producers desiring to take the next step in protecting natural resources and provide additional recognition to those going above and beyond to integrate conservation into their farming operations.
“Farming and ranching producers not only have obligations to their animals but also to the environment that helps support their operations,” Elizabeth said. “Taking part in good practices to assure the land is sustainable and thriving, along with your animals, is important and helps ensure good animal welfare, quality soil and water resources, and your operation’s overall success.”
Altogether, Elizabeth and Matt’s current management practices on 211 Ranch LLC result in conserving natural resources within Hubbard County, where water quality is protected, and soil erosion is reduced. For more information about the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program, contact the East Otter Tail Soil and Water Conservation office at 218-346-9105 or visit their website: www.eotswcd.org.
Posted In: MAWQCP
