Washington-Farmers are getting a pat on the back from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for conservation efforts that are reducing nutrients from cropland runoff into the Chesapeake Bay watershed by sizeable margins. A study released earlier this month titled Assessment of Conservation Practices on Cultivated Cropland in the Chesapeake Bay Region quantifies these environmental gains and identifies opportunities for further progress. “Agriculture plays an important role in protecting water quality and maintaining economic stability in this watershed,” said Dave White, chief of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. “This study confirms that farmers are reducing sediment and nutrient losses from their fields. Our voluntary, incentives-based conservation approach is delivering significant and proven results. This study will help us improve our conservation practices in the Chesapeake Bay area.” The study also shows that there are opportunities for further reductions of sediment and nutrient losses from agriculture by focusing conservation activities on the most vulnerable acres. Well-managed farmland is considered among the best land uses for sustaining natural resources in the watershed. Conserving working lands will be instrumental in meeting objectives for a healthy Chesapeake Bay. The study shows that the most significant conservation concern on cultivated cropland in the watershed is the loss of nitrogen by leaching and overland flow. Suites of conservation practices that include soil erosion and comprehensive nutrient management are required to address soil erosion and nutrient losses simultaneously.
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