scholarly journals Vegetable Production Best Management Practices to Minimize Nutrient Loss

2006 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 398-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.K. Hartz

Nutrient loss from commercial vegetable fields has become a significant environmental issue in all the major vegetable-producing regions of the United States. Growers are facing potentially disruptive regulations aimed at improving the quality of both surface and ground water. Significant improvement in nutrient management will be required to meet this regulatory challenge. This paper discusses five practical, low-cost nutrient best management practices (BMPs). These BMPs are widely applicable, relatively inexpensive to implement, and can dramatically reduce nitrogen and phosphorus loss from vegetable fields. However, even with careful application of these BMPs, runoff and leachate from vegetable fields may periodically exceed environmental water quality standards, which are very stringent.

2001 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 230-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
John D. Lea-Cox ◽  
David S. Ross ◽  
K. Marc Teffeau

Abstract Many states throughout the United States are now concerned about the impact of non-point source pollution on the declining quality of water in their watersheds. In 1998, the state of Maryland adopted one of the toughest nutrient management planning laws in the nation, requiring virtually all agricultural operations to write and implement nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) based management plans by December 31, 2002. The nursery and greenhouse industries are faced with a complicated task to write these nutrient management plans, since these operations grow a large number of plant species utilizing a range of fertilization and irrigation strategies. A nutrient management planning strategy has been identified that will provide an assessment of nutrient loss potential from a wide variety of production scenarios, identify the specific factors that contribute most to nutrient leaching and runoff, and enable targeted best management practices to be implemented to reduce the risk of nutrient run-off.


2006 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 393-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn J. DeMoranville

In Massachusetts, cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) bogs were historically developed in existing wetlands and new plantings are now established in mineral soils that are converted into constructed wetlands. To streamline the interaction between cranberry farming and wetlands protection, the state has defined “normal agricultural practices” that are exempt from wetlands regulations under certain circumstances. As part of that process and to qualify for the exemption, farmers are required to have a conservation farm plan and demonstrate the use of best management practices (BMPs) on their farms. The University of Massachusetts Amherst Cranberry Experiment Station (UMass Cranberry Station) was engaged to bring together the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and cranberry industry representatives to define BMPs specific to cranberry farming practices. Initially, the documents were reviewed by scientists and regulators for soundness of science and rigor of environmental protection. A grower committee reviewed the proposed BMPs to determine if the BMPs could be implemented on real farms. The next stage of the project consisted of defining areas where more research was needed to formulate good BMPs. In particular, research projects were initiated to study nitrogen and phosphorus nutrition. This research has become the basis for nutrition BMPs, national cranberry nutrition guidelines, and standards used by NRCS for cranberry nutrient management plans. The cranberry BMP project has continued with a regular cycle of revision and additions based on grower-identified needs for horticultural and environmental guidance. This connection to the growers, along with the regulatory link, accounts for the widespread adoption of BMPs in the cranberry industry. Local NRCS estimates that 75% to 80% of Massachusetts cranberry growers have current conservation farm plans that include BMP implementation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugh J. Beckie ◽  
Stuart J. Smyth ◽  
Micheal D. K. Owen ◽  
Savannah Gleim

Despite decades of research, development, and extension on the mitigation and management of pesticide resistance, the global agricultural situation is becoming increasingly dire. Pest populations with evolved resistance to multiple pesticide sites of action are becoming the norm, with fewer remaining effective xenobiotics for control. We argue that financial incentives and not regulations are needed to encourage farmers or land managers to use best management practices recommended by academia. Although some incentives are offered by pesticide manufacturers or distributors, there is a paucity of incentives by other industry sectors and all levels of government (federal or state/provincial). Crop insurance can be important to facilitate and reward best pest management practices and address other important agricultural policy objectives. Herein, we describe possible changes to crop insurance programs in the United States and Canada through premium rate changes to incentivise clients to adopt best management practices.


2019 ◽  
Vol 192 ◽  
pp. 42-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sushil Kumar Himanshu ◽  
Ashish Pandey ◽  
Basant Yadav ◽  
Ankit Gupta

2016 ◽  
Vol 360 ◽  
pp. 133-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Cristan ◽  
W. Michael Aust ◽  
M. Chad Bolding ◽  
Scott M. Barrett ◽  
John F. Munsell ◽  
...  

2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 1674-1683 ◽  
Author(s):  
Changyou Sun

State forestry best management practice (BMP) programs have been widely developed and implemented to prevent nonpoint source water pollution in the past three decades. The unanswered question is how forestry BMPs have affected the welfare positions of consumers, mills, loggers, and forest landowners. A Muth-type equilibrium displacement model was constructed to examine welfare changes of these stakeholders. The model considered a two-stage vertical production system with variable proportion production technology and imperfect market structure. Industrial mills experienced little welfare loss from forestry BMP regulation. Consumers had the largest absolute welfare loss, and loggers had the largest relative welfare loss in the base scenario. The supply elasticity of harvesting services had the greatest impact on the relative incidence of welfare losses between landowners and loggers, and in the long run their welfare losses were comparable. These results may help to improve future state forestry BMP guidelines and design incentive systems for increasing implementation rates.


HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 968E-969
Author(s):  
Bobby H. Fletcher ◽  
Michael F. Burnett ◽  
Krisanna L. Machtmes ◽  
Jeff S. Kuehny

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the impact of participation in the Master Gardener program on horticultural knowledge and practice. In 1972, the “Master Gardener” concept was initiated in Washington State due to the high demand to answer consumer horticultural questions. The main objective of this program is to increase horticultural knowledge of program participants so they can transfer this information to consumer horticultural clientele. The program quickly spread throughout the United States. It reached Louisiana in 1994 and was expanded throughout most metropolitan areas by 1997. No formal evaluation has been conducted to determine the horticultural knowledge impacts of this program. All 257 participants in the 2004 Louisiana Master Gardener (LMG) program were surveyed before and after participation in this program. The survey used was a researcher-developed instrument designed to measure self-perceived knowledge, tested knowledge, and Best Management Practices (BMPs) used. Data were collected by master gardener coordinators and submitted to the researcher after each phase of data collection (pre and post). Results of the study revealed that the LMG participants were highly educated, mostly Caucasian, and mostly female. Significant improvements were identified in all of the knowledge and practice measurements included in the study. These included self-perceived knowledge, tested knowledge, and use of BMPs. It was concluded that the 2004 Louisiana Master Gardener program was effective in increasing the self-perceived horticultural knowledge and tested horticultural knowledge of program participants. In addition, the study concluded that the 2004 Louisiana Master Gardener program improved the use of BMPs among the participants.


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