Download Dairy BMP - team 2

Brian Burk, Shannon Gaffey, Sophie Gould,
Sarah Kearsley
 The ecological health of the Lake Champlain
Watershed is being adversely affected by agricultural
pollution from Vermont dairy farms.
http://philip.greenspun.com/images/pcd0737/
 Non-point runoff from agricultural lands is a large
source of ecological stress in the Lake Champlain
Basin
 Minimal regulations surround the issue of run-off
from small dairies.
 When analyzing dairy management in Vermont, we
will take a holistic view on the issue. We will examine
how the science, policy, economy, and social issues fit
together.
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es/SciencePolicy_website.gif
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 “Agricultural sources are responsible for 46% of
the sediment, 47% of the total P, and 52% of the
total N discharged in US waterways.” (Rao et al.)
 Phosphorus is the limiting nutrient in Lake
Champlain
 Main Sources of P in Lake Champlain
 Storm Water
 Sewage Treatment
 Nonpoint Agricultural Runoff
 Manure Fertilizer Use
 P Based Livestock Feed
 Livestock Waste
Nutrient Loading: Phosphorus
 P concentration required for plant growth: ~0.2ppm
 Lake Water P concentration accelerating
Eutrophication: ~0.02 ppm
 Small percent loss of P from agriculture has significant
water quality implications (USDA 2003)
Eutrophication in a Nutshell
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1769_11963/2005-12-19cattleStream.jpg
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ality/images/uploads/applyingma
nure.jp1.jpg
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 Total Maximum Daily Load
 “The calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant
that a water body can receive and still meet Vermont Water
Quality Standards” (VTDEC)
 Process
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Problem Identification
Identification of Target Values
Source Assessment
Linkage between Target and Sources
Allocations
Public Participation
EPA Approval and Monitoring (VT ANR)
 BMPS: “The most effective and practical means to
attain a certain objective”
 Implemented on agricultural sites to reduce P
pollution
 Include
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Nutrient Management Plans
Riparian Buffer Zones
Constructed Wetlands
Livestock Fencing
BMP Effectiveness
Table 3. Potential total P reduction efficiencies (percent change) in
surface runoff. Estimates are average values for a multiple year basis.
Conservation Practice
Total P Reduction (%)
Reference
Dinnes, 2004
P rate balanced to crop use vs. above recommended rate
15–47
Adoption of nutrient management plan
0–45
No-till vs. conventional tillage
35–70
Cover crops
7–63
Dinnes, 2004
Diverse cropping systems and rotations within row cropping
25–88
Dinnes, 2004
Contour plowing and terracing
30–75
Devlin et al., 2003; Gitau et al., 2005
Livestock exclusion from streams vs. constant intensive grazing
32–76
Dinnes, 2004; Gitau et al., 2005; Smith et al.,
1992
Managed grazing vs. constant intensive grazing
0–78
Dinnes, 2004; Gitau et al., 2005
In-field vegetative buffers
4–67
Devlin et al., 2003; Dinnes, 2004; Gitau et al.,
2005
Riparian buffers
40–93
Dinnes, 2004; Gitau et al., 2005; Smith et al.,
1992
0-79
Dinnes, 2004; Gitau et al., 2005; Smith et al.,
1992
Wetlands
Devlin et al., 2003; Gitau et al., 2005
Devlin et al., 2003; Dinnes, 2004
Sharpley et al. p.1984
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Vermont Agriculture Nonpoint Source Pollution Reduction
Program Law and Regulations :
Accepted Agricultural Practices Law and Regulations,
Best Management Practice Law and Regulations,
Large Farm Operation Law and Regulations
Full Law and Regulations found at:
<http://www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/pidnonpointsource.htm>
 Written 1995, revised 2006
 Improved farming techniques/ land management practices
 Not investments in structure/ equipment
 No financial assistance
 All farms but only medium and large checked on for compliance
 1,026 farms,851 small farms, 900 dairies
Accepted Agricultural Practice Regulations. April 24,2006.
<http://www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/awq/AAPs.htm>
 Discharge,
 Nutrient and Pesticide Storage,
 Nutrient and Pesticide Application,
 Soil Cultivations,
 Agricultural Waste Management,
 Buffer Zones,
 Construction of Farm Structures,
 Ground Water Quality,
http://www.mda.state.mn.us/protecting/conservation/practices/buffe
rgrass.aspx
 Streambank Stabilization.
Full regulations can be found at
<http://www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/awq/AAPs.htm>
 Specific to water quality, target phosphorus
 Expensive, require governmental funding
 Structural improvement, not techniques
 Specific to each farm
 Application process
 Usually voluntary, except when specific
farms not meeting AAP standards
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mont%20Cows.jpg
Full laws and regulations can be found at:
<http://www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/BMP.htm#top>
Medium Farm Operations (MFOs)
 >90% MFOs are dairy in
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Vermont
200-699 dairy animals
Follow AAPs
have a Nutrient Management
plan in place
25 foot buffers around all surface
waters
Large Farm Operations (LFOs)
• 700+ mature dairy animals
• Follow AAPs
• Follow MFOs general permits
• Additional rules : odor, noise,
traffic, insects, flies and pests
Agricultural Water Quality. ARMES. <http://www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/awq/AWQ.html>
http://www.vermontagriculture.com/
Nutrient Management Plan Incentive Grants
Environmental Quality Incentives Program
Conservation Innovation Grants
Farm Agronomic Practices
http://www.vermontagriculture.com/
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Non-competitive grant awarded by VT Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
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Provides financial support to help farmers develop, install and improve manure BMPs
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An initial $5,000 is available over a three year period to help with nutrient plan
development, pending on proper maintenance and update during those three years.
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Maximum funding amounts to: $9/acre + $15/soil test + $35/manure & other waste tests +
$8/acre for PreSidress Nitrogen Testing (PSNT) available to farms currently developing
plans
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For farms with an existing plan that are no longer receiving financial aid, up to $3 per acre
for a max of 333 acres (or, $1,000) is available to help farmers UPDATE their existing plan
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Total payment is limited to $14,000
Applications and payment outlines available at:
http://www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/awq/NMPIG.html
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EQIP offers financial and technical help to aid participants in installing BMPs
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Contracts last from 1-10 years after final scheduled implementation
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Payments are set based on per unit cost of installing a practice in a “typical scenario”
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Contracted activities are carried out according to a plan of operations which is developed
with the producer.
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EQIP payments may cover up to 75% of the
costs of practices stated in the contract,
but in special cases may provide up to 90%
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Payments for specified management
practices may be provided for up to 3 years
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Overall contract ceiling is set at $300,000
Program outline available at:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip/
http://www.cabotblog.com/2008/10/
 Competitive voluntary program that functions on both State and
Federal levels, distributing funds available under EQIP to strictly
non-federal entities.
http://www.santarosa.edu/adminserv/grants.html
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Designed to stimulate the adoption of and Federal investment in conservation
techniques and environmental stewardship
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Applications should demonstrate the use of innovative management techniques which
address natural resource conservation/protection.
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50% or more of the total cost and all of the technical support for the programs outlined
in the application must be funded by the grantee. The NRCS provides necessary
“technical oversight.”
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In 2009, $317,596 in federal funds were available for 7 VT projects under CIG.
Program outline available at:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/cig/index.html
Information for grantees:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/cig/InfoForGrantees.html
 FAP goals are more soil-quality oriented than other programs
 Encourages soil-based BMP and outreach on agricultural water quality impacts
through funds made available by VAAFM
 Funded practices include: cover cropping, strip cropping, conservation crop
rotation, cross-slope tillage, conservation tillage and alternative manure
incorporation
 Conservation practices
usually cannot be doubly funded
under FAP.
 Depending on fund availability,
the FAP program payment is
capped at $5,000 per farm
per fiscal year
Grant applications and Fact sheet found at:
http://www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/awq/FA
P.html
http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/landcenter/tracker/spring2007/oconomowoc.h
tml
 Northeast Recycling Council
 Publications and workshops for
livestock farmers in New
England area
 6 workshops in Vermont:
 74 of the thousand dairy farms in
Vermont
 Emphasis on self-sufficient
http://www.vermontdairy.com
manure management and
nutrient recycling on small
farms
 Bridges gap between the
science and the policy
implementation through
education
Bradley, A. Personal Communication. April 13, 2010.
 Not much environmental
regulation on small farms
 Farmers say economic
pressures are much more of
an issue
 Lyle Edwards- Newport VT
 Mike Eastman- Addison VT
 Legislation restricts sale of
raw milk
http://www.marlerblog.com/
Edwards, L. Personal Communication. March 19, 2010
Flagg, K. Raw Milk Picks Up Advocates. Addison County Independent. (2008).
 Farm of 100 head has a net loss of
$100,000
 spend $19/hundredweight, earn
$12/hundredweight
 250 Vermont farms lost in past 5 years
 Government aid: $11 million in 2009
 Current system of aid allocation
doesn't make sense
http://www.understandingmoney.gov
*Maroney, J. H. The Political Economy of Milk: Reinvigorating Vermont’s Family Dairy Farms.
Gala Books Ltd. (2009).
 Government assistance for organic certification of
small farms
 Effectively preserve small dairy farms
 Environmental benefits for watershed
-use less pesticides
-smaller eutrophication potential per tonne of milk
-smaller point source
Maroney, J. H. The Political Economy of Milk: Reinvigorating Vermont’s Family Dairy Farms. Gala Books Ltd. (2009).
 Government aid to increase and stabilize milk prices in
Vermont
 Increase legal quantities of raw milk sales
 Expand educational initiatives such as the Manure
Management Program
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Accepted Agricultural Practice Regulations. April 24,2006.
<http://www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/awq/AAPs.htm>
Agricultural Best Management Practices. Northeast Georgia Regional Development Center: Alcovy River Watershed Protection Plan. (n.d.).
http://www.negrc.org/Alcovy_Web/reports/Alcovy_River_Wtrshed_Protection_Plan_Chap-9.pdf
Agricultural Phosphorus and Eutrophication: Second Edition. United States Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Research Service. (2003). ARS—149.
Agricultural Water Quality. ARMES. <http://www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/awq/AWQ.html>
Best Management Practices (BMP’s). Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets.
2001. <http://www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/BMP.htm#top>
Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) in Vermont. Natural Resources Conservation Service, (2009.) Web. 17 Mar. 2010.
<http://www.vt.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/CIG/>.
De Boer, J. M. Environmental Impact Assessment of Conventional and Organic Milk Production. Journal of Livestock Production Science vol 80, Issues 1-2 (2003): 69-77
Edwards, L. Personal Communication. March 19, 2010
Flagg, K. Raw Milk Picks Up Advocates. Addison County Independent. (2008).
Government Programs for Organic Growers. Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont, (n.d.) Web. 18 Mar. 2010.
<http://nofavt.org/programs/farm-financial-resources/govt-programs>.
Maroney, J. H. The Political Economy of Milk: Reinvigorating Vermont’s Family Dairy Farms. Gala Books Ltd. (2009).
Non-Point Source Pollution Regulation and Education. Vermont Department of Agriculture, Food and
Markets, Plant Industry Section. 2000.
<http://www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/pidnonpointsource.htm>
Nutrient Management Plan Incentive Grants (NMPIG). VT Agency of Agriculture, Division of Agricultural Resource Management and Environmental Stewardship,
(n.d.) Web. 19 Mar. 2010. <http://www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/awq/NMPIG.html>.
Rao, N., Easton, Z., Schneiderman, E., Zion, M., Lee, D.Steenhuis, T. Modeling watershed-scale effectiveness of agricultural best management practices to reduce phosphorus
loading. Journal of Environmental Management. (2009). Vol. 90, Issue 3: 1385-1395
Revised Implementation Plan: Lake Champlain Phosphorus TMDL. Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. ( 2008). Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.
Sharpley, A., Klienman, P., Jordan, P., Bergstrom, L., Allen, A. Evauluating the Success of Phosphorus Management from Field to Watershed. Journal of Environmental
Quality. (2009). Volume 38: 1981-1988.
Wu, Z., Satter, L, Blohowiak, A. Milk Production, phosphorus, excretion, and bone characteristics of dairy cows fed different amounts of phosphorus for two or more years. Journal
of Dairy Science. (2001). Vol. 84: 1738-1748.
Vermont Clean and Clear Action Plan. Vermont Agency of Natural Resources and Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets. (2008).
<http://www.anr.state.vt.us/cleanandclear/rep2009/CleanandClear2009annualreport.pdf>
Vermont 2010 EQIP Information. Natural Resources Conservation Service, (2010). Web. 17 Mar. 2010.
<http://www.vt.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/EQIP/>.