Nonpoint Pollution | Success Stories | Agriculture

Agriculture Success Stories

Note: Highlighted projects are not necessarily funded by the Coastal Nonpoint Program nor do they necessarily represent projects that have been approved by NOAA and EPA to remove remaining conditions on state programs.

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS

New York Developed an Agricultural Environmental Management Program: New York's Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) Program is a voluntary, incentive-based program designed to help farmers continue their good stewardship, address sources of nonpoint source pollution from their agricultural operations, and understand environmental regulations and requirements. AEM takes a team-oriented, site-specific approach to control water pollution from agricultural lands. Local AEM teams of resource professionals assist farmers through a tiered evaluation process to document good stewardship practices and identify potential pollution sources. Teams also help farmers select the most suitable management practices to reduce polluted runoff and develop conservation plans. Farmers participating in the program can receive up to 75% cost-share support to conduct environmental assessment and planning or implement Best Management Practices to control nonpoint source pollution. The AEM program also includes outreach to the agricultural and non-agricultural community to improve neighbor relations. The program has its roots in the New York City Watershed, and with the advent of the 6217 Coastal Nonpoint Program, AEM was expanded statewide. In recognition of the important role that AEM plays in protecting our state's valuable water resources, Governor Pataki signed AEM into law in August 2000. The NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets and the NYS Soil and Water Conservation Committee provide leadership for AEM at the state level. County Soil and Water Conservation Districts provide local leadership. The state has allocated over $26 million for the NYS Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement Grant Program since its inception in 1994, to fund the AEM process. State funds, State Bond Act, Section 319 grants and USDA Farm Bill Conservation Program funding, along with local contributions and financial commitments from agricultural producers, have enabled the AEM program to grow to include nearly 9,000 participating farms. The state's new permits for Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) require that certain large-sized animal operations develop comprehensive nutrient management plans utilizing the AEM process. The Natural Resources Conservation Service is also utilizing participation in the AEM process to prioritize farms for federal funding programs such as EQIP. As the AEM partnership continues to expand and diversify, the program is also growing to include new commodity groups such as fruits and vegetables, greenhouses and equine operations.

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Louisiana Developing Master Farmer Program to control NPS Pollution: As a result of growing public concern over water quality degradation from agriculture and the need to keep Louisiana farmers abreast of current agricultural production techniques and farm management and marketing strategies, Louisiana kicked off its Master Farmer program January 2002. The multi-agency program is focusing on coastal watersheds first but will soon expand the program across the state. "We consider implementation of the Master Farmer program highly significant to the goals of our coastal nonpoint program, [and] coastal zone management plan," stated Katherine Vaughan, Deputy Secretary to the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources during a June press conference.

The Master Farmer Program has three components: (1) environmental stewardship; (2) agricultural production; and (3) farm management and marketing. The environmental stewardship component is at the heart of the three-year program of study. During environmental stewardship classes, participants learn about the environmental impacts of agricultural production and specific best management practices (BMPs) they can employ to minimize environmental damage. They also take field trips to "model farms" to see first-hand how BMPs are implemented, and develop and implement comprehensive conservation plans for their own farms. Participants will be awarded certificates for completing each stage of the certification process and will receive full Master Farmer status during a recognition ceremony at the annual Louisiana Farm Bureau convention. The program has been very well received. In southwestern Louisiana where the program is being initiated, 268 farmers (accounting for 300,000 acres of cropland) are currently participating in the program and 300 more have already pre-registered for sessions this winter as the program expands to two more watersheds. Also, to more specifically address environmental concerns stemming from different commodities, the Master Farmer program has been broken into four separate tracks: agricultural producers, cattlemen, poultry growers, and dairy farmers.

 

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