"It would give Ohio Department of Agriculture rule-making authority to develop a fertilizer application certification program, and require anyone who applies fertilizer for ag production on areas of more than 10 acres, to be certified by ODA.
It also would expand ODNR’s authority through the Division of Soil and Water Resources, to develop operation and nutrient management plans for commercial fertilizer, in addition to manure, sediment and materials attached to sediment.
These plans would address the “methods, amount, form, placement and timing” of all nutrient applications.
Fertilizer as ‘pollutant’?
The proposal also effectively classifies nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium as “agricultural pollutants,” according to the OFBF summary.
The question with fertilizer is always, “when does it become a pollutant?” He said it must be remembered there are many factors affecting fertilizer and where it ends up, as well as naturally occurring levels of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus from plant decay.
Two watersheds.
The proposal also allows the ODNR to classify two types of watersheds.One type, the “critical natural resources area,” would result in the following actions:
• An analysis by ODNR of the watershed, to identify sources and causes of ag pollution.
• A watershed management plan that would address the causes and sources of ag pollution, which may include requirements for storage, handling and land application of manure and fertilizer, as well as erosion control.
• Encourage all farmers to voluntarily develop and operate under an approved operation and nutrient management plan.
A second type of watershed, the “watershed in distress,” would result in most of the same actions, except there would be more emphasis on “requirements.” I am aware of Lake St. Mary in Auglaize County and Lake Erie being watersheds in distress.
Farmers would be required to follow an approved operation and nutrient management plan, and to establish a schedule for implementing this plan."
Fertilizer is a pollutant? That is going to go over big!
Ed
I guess Ohio hasn't heard about the sequester yet and are planning to spend the dollars they think they have to consolidate their own position and secure their own jobs...
ReplyDeleteIf these are pollutants, then it's clearly a federal EPA matter, no need to have one state have its own regulation that's different from the 49 other states.
Certification seems to really push it over the top, but what do I know? I'd imagine every farmer who went to ag school is already aware of these matters. Maybe "training" rather than "certification" would be less offensive and meddling, starting with those who went straight to farming without ag school, or those who need a refresh course (like continuous training) if their ag school days have been over for a long time.
"nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus from plant decay"
So crop residue too? Great! I hope they plan a certification for how much rain you allow in your fields, because it has nitrogen and sulfur too. You should deploy umbrellas once it reaches a certain threshold of "pollutants". Oh Golly, did I just see a gopher take a dump on your field, Ed? How much is the fine for that if it isn't certified?
Ed, you are ahead of the game utilizing tissue testing and planting using Cover-Crops (Soil Primers). That's not the norm around here. Have you been running any tissue test on your cover crops.
ReplyDeleteAlso in your travels have you had a chance to visit Gabe Brown's farm/ranch (Brown Ranch)
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Some farmers ARE very careless with their fertilizer, but no SMART one wants to waste it by letting it become a pollutant. No-one can control the weather, though, and giving the government more authority is NEVER a good idea.
ReplyDeleteEd,
ReplyDeleteThis seems like we are painting with an awfully big paint brush on an awfully fine subject. Unfortunately Ohio agriculture has probably brought a portion of this on our selves as it has been shared with me this is a result of multiple farming operations in the St. Marys Watershed refusing to even make attempts at improving their practices. Regulators are looking for the authroity to "make" non compliant orgnaizations get compliant. We all have responsibility to improve our environment and leave it to the next generation better than we found it. However when the problem is being caused by as little as 3 lbs of MAP leaving each ac. of land each year in a water shed we are really going to have a lot of work infront of us to improve this situation. To me this has risk of being intense regulation with no measurable improvment in the out come.
Phil A.
Yes Phillip we have done a poor job as a group. But when outstanding individuals know better, how do we teach this subject? My large knowledge base falls on deaf, rich ears. "They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."
ReplyDeleteI care and I know you do too. It's a touchy subject no doubt but how to we move off center to the side of the right thing for all of us?
I am convinced we over nitrate our crops and underfeed everything else. We underfeed some of 16 other nutrients. How do we learn and get this point across?
Dan, you bring up a great point, I just started testing my cover crops with more zeal this week! It's a perfect week for it here in southwest Ohio and I hope to learn more so I can teach and raise even greater questions.
How can we raise more with less? That will make more profit for all mankind to enjoy but just how do we do that?
Great reponses and I thank you all!
Ed Winkle
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