Purina is contributing $1 million contribution for Pheasants Forever’s wildlife habitat mission within the Prairie Pothole Region. Utilizing a series of proven programs and initiatives, the organization will create the new private lands habitat and soil health program, promote water stewardship and create new public wildlife areas. In total, the programs will improve more than 8,000 acres. Purina’s support will be further augmented as the team applies for matching public and private grants.
Purina has long supported Pheasant Forever’s habitat mission, and the company’s Pro Plan brand is the official dog food of Pheasants Forever. Purina’s latest commitment represents the single largest, one-time donation from a corporation to Pheasants Forever’s mission outside of state and federal funding mechanisms. Focused in a region where Purina sources ingredients for its science-backed pet food products, Pheasants Forever’s three-year plan for the contribution is to provide wildlife habitat and soil health benefits for growers, pet owners and their bird dogs, supporting the company’s core belief that pets and people are better together.
Building public habitat complexes and achieving measurable soil health benefits on private lands as part of Purina’s donation will be executed through two distinct programs:
- Soil Health and Habitat Program: Utilizing precision agriculture technology, Pheasants Forever will work with producers and growers to analyze data from 30,000 acres of private lands in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa to help enhance soil health, protect water quality and implement conservation planning for 7,200 acres in that same region. Results from the analysis will help guide enrollment of low-production acres into the program, providing those landowners who are contracted to be in the program for five years with a one-time incentive payment for grassland or cover crop mixtures.
- Build A Wildlife Area Program: Enacted in 2003 as a mechanism for protecting public lands, Pheasants Forever’s Build A Wildlife Area Program employs a minimum $3:$1 match to purchase upland acres from willing sellers and permanently protect these investments as Wildlife Management Areas or Waterfowl Production Areas. As part of the Purina’s sustainability contribution, Pheasants Forever will acquire a minimum of 1,000 acres for public access over the next three years while enhancing each property for wildlife and public recreation.
