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Using Farm-Level Practices to Address the Water Quality Impacts of Agriculture

Using Farm-Level Practices to Address the Water Quality Impacts of Agriculture . October 23, 2003. Thomas W. Christensen, Acting Director Conservation Operations Division USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Principles.

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Using Farm-Level Practices to Address the Water Quality Impacts of Agriculture

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  1. Using Farm-Level Practices to Address the Water Quality Impacts of Agriculture October 23, 2003 Thomas W. Christensen, Acting Director Conservation Operations Division USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

  2. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Principles • Voluntary, incentive-based approach • Science-based, site-specific solutions • Partnership with locally led processes • Informed landowner is decision-maker • Progressive implementation • Adaptive management • Regulation serves a complementary role - “Bad Actors”

  3. USDA’s Primary Conservation Programs • Conservation Technical Assistance • Environmental Quality Incentives Program • Wetlands Reserve Program • Conservation Reserve Program • Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program • Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program • Grasslands Reserve Program • Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program • Conservation Security Program

  4. A Coordination Model for Federal Activities to Achieve Enduring Natural Resource Conservation and Environmental Protection • Research • CSREES • ARS • ERS • FS • EPA • USGS • FWS • NOAA • Technical Assistance • CSREES • FS • NRCS • EPA • USGS • FWS • NOAA • Information • All Agencies • Education • CSREES Conservation and Environmental Protection • Financial Assistance • FSA • FS • NRCS • EPA • FWS • Environmental Monitoring • EPA • USGS • NOAA • Regulatory Compliance & Oversight • EPA • FWS • USACE • Natural Resources Inventories • FS • NRCS • FWS • NOAA

  5. USDA Watershed Management Planning & Implementation Principles • Stakeholders must be involved in all phases of the process • Building social capacity provides a foundation to support behavioral change within the watershed • Adaptive management is key • Effective monitoring and assessment effort

  6. Conservation Planning • A natural resource problem-solving and management process • Integrates ecological (natural resource), economic, and social considerations to meet private and public needs • Producer participation is voluntary • Based on the premise that clients will make and implement sound decisions if they understand their resources, natural resource problems and opportunities, and the effects of their decisions

  7. SWAPA + H HumanConcerns PlantConcerns AnimalConcerns AirConcerns WaterConcerns SoilConcerns

  8. Phase II Decision Support Phase I Collection and Analysis Phase III Application and Evaluation Conservation Planning Process

  9. Conservation Planning Process • Identify Problems • Determine Objectives • Inventory Resources • Analyze Data • Develop Alternatives • Evaluate Alternatives • Select Alternatives and Record Decisions • Implement Plan • Review Plan

  10. Driving Forces in Conservation Planning & Technical Assistance Community Values Resource Assessment Plan & Alternatives Farmers Ranchers & Landowners Objectives/Inventory Govt. Ag. Industry Agencies Economically Science-Based Sound Resource Business Management Plans Flexible, Localized Ag. Standards Groups Environmental Groups Page - 1

  11. Ensuring Consistency and Quality in Conservation Planning Employee Certification Employee Development QualityCriteria CRA Maps Resource Concerns Conservation Planning Conservation Practice Physical Effects Customer Service Toolkit ProTracts Practice Standards • Linking processes of the past with those that are occurring today • Planning certification, employee development, eFOTG, Toolkit, Protracts, Quality Criteria, CPPE, Data, and Common Resource Areas

  12. Linking Conservation Planning to NRCS Programs Retirement CTA CRP WRP Opportunity CTA CSP CIG Conservation Planning Stability CTA FRPP GRP EWP Improvement CTA EQIP WHIP AMA PL-566

  13. Policy Guidance Technical Tools & References Evaluations Support for the Conservation Planning Process • NPP Handbook • CNMP Technical Guidance • Technical Notes • Manuals • General Manual • State Technical Committees • Water Quality Policy • Field Office Technical Guide • Technical Notes • Soil Survey • Customer Service Toolkit • Follow-up With Landowners • Status Reviews

  14. Electronic Field Office Tech Guide (eFOTG) • Section I—General References • Section II—Natural Resource Information • Section III—Conservation Management • Section IV—Practice Standards and Specifications • Section V—Conservation Effects

  15. Toolkit Software

  16. Toolkit Current Use • 90% of Conservation Plans • 74% of Contract Support Documents • 62% of Plan Maps • 43% of Soils Maps

  17. Management Intensity • Improved environmental performance as intensity of natural resource management increases • Incorporates a wide range of technologies and management practices • Steers producers towards end goal of sustainable systems

  18. Intensive Nutrient Management

  19. Intensive Pest Management

  20. Intensive Irrigation Water Management

  21. Reducing Inputs • Nutrients • Feed management • Precision farming • Nitrification inhibitors • Irrigation water • Management techniques • Pesticides • Precision application

  22. Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMP) • Site-specific, producer-led, science-based conservation systems unique to AFOs • Focus on water quality resource concerns • Addresses six elements: • Feed Management (Optional) • Manure and Wastewater Handling and Storage • Land Treatment Practices • Nutrient Management • Recordkeeping • Other Utilization Activities (Optional)

  23. CNMP Goals • USDA has a national expectation that all animal feeding operations (AFO) would develop and implement CNMPs. • It is estimated that 257,000 AFOs would need a CNMP. • 15,500 of these AFOs are federally regulated.

  24. Livestock Operations Potentially Needing CNMPs (257,201 farms)

  25. Costs of CNMPs • $2.1 billion to develop CNMPs on all AFOs (average time per CNMP is 149 hours) • Manure and Wastewater Handling and Storage (62%) • Nutrient Management (26 %) • Land Treatment Practices (12%) • $17 billion to implement CNMPs on all AFOs

  26. Case Study – West Virginia Upper Potomac River Basin • 2.2 million acres • 1,700 miles of mostly high quality streams • Intensive animal agriculture = beef + poultry • 100% increase in poultry produced 1993-96 • Effective monitoring verified high nutrient loads, sediment, pathogens

  27. Case Study – West Virginia Upper Potomac River Basin • Locally Identified Concerns: • Water quality (algal blooms, fecal bacteria, etc.) • Limited land availability for nutrient application • Stream health and impacts on tourism (outdoor recreation) and trade • Economic and environmental viability of farms

  28. Case Study – West Virginia Upper Potomac River Basin • Funding Sources: • PL-534 - one of 11 projects authorized • EQIP, CRP • State Revolving Loan Funds • 319 Grants • Watershed Efforts: • Voluntary, incentive-based programs began in 1993 • TMDL developed in 1996 (fecal coliform)

  29. Case Study – West Virginia Upper Potomac River Basin • Outcomes: • 85% landowner participation • Livestock waste and poultry litter managed under 10 year contracts • Monitoring revealed that compliance expectations were met or exceeded • De-listing of streams for fecal coliform in 2002

  30. Priority Needs To Increase BMP Adoption for Water Quality Improvement • Expanded and enhanced partnerships • Better link between BMPs and water quality improvements • Greater awareness of social and cultural considerations • Better economic information on BMPs • Less labor intensive implementation requirements • Continuing technology advancements

  31. Priority Needs To Increase BMP Adoption for Water Quality Improvement • Improved training and tools for technical specialists/conservationists • Greater assurance that BMPs will achieve environmental and production goals • Increased access to insurance tools to minimize risk • Increased accessibility of education, technical, and financial assistance

  32. Potential for Future Conservation Enhancements • Only 8 percent of cropland uses cover crops1 • Over 40 million acres do not use crop rotations • Pest scouting: 80% weeds, 67% insects, 55% disease (% of all acres)1 1 Ag Resources and Environmental Indicators. 2003 AH 722, ERS 2 National Crop Residue Management Survey, 2002 CTIC

  33. Potential for Future Conservation Enhancements • Less than 70 million planted acres used soil test for nutrient requirements1 • Only 36.6% of cropland uses conservation tillage2 • Only 19.6% of cropland uses no-till2 1 Ag Resources and Environmental Indicators. 2003 AH 722, ERS 2 National Crop Residue Management Survey, 2002 CTIC

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