Many states have established partnerships and programs to address agricultural issues related to environmental protection or to assist producers in compliance or improvements. Often these partnerships are more successful than any independent agency could be. A few are listed here.
- Michigan Agricultural Pollution Prevention Program contains strategy, implementation plan, and Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance Program. Under this program, farmers are required to complete education, conduct on-farm assessments and nutrient management plans, and obtain third party certification from the Michigan Department of Agriculture. The program also has several resources including a listing of Generally Accepted Agricultural Management Practices (GAAMPs) for various farm sectors and an outstanding Ag P2 resource directory.
- Pennsylvania Environmental Agricultural Conservation Certification Program (PEACCE). This program is a partnership between many state organizations and agricultural commodity groups to promote environmentally safe practices among livestock and poultry producers, to encourage them to minimize environmental and liability risks, and to recognize those producers that meet or exceed standards. It includes education, an on-farm assessment by a third party, certification by the soil and water conservation district, and continuing education. Producers receive a farm sign and other recognition as well as possible insurance benefits and acknowledgement from State regulatory agencies.
- Master Farmer Programs. The master farmer program started in Louisiana but is expanding to other neighboring states. The Master Farmer Program is targeted at helping agricultural producers voluntarily address the environmental concerns related to production agriculture, as well as enhancing their production and resource management skills. To become a Master Farmer, farmers receive classroom instruction on environmental stewardship related to water quality regulations, conservation practices, and USDA conservation funding; attend a Model Farm Field Day, which includes on-farm viewing of implemented, commodity-specific conservation practices; and develops a farm-specific conservation plan. Upon completion of the Master Farmer Program, producers are certified in environmental stewardship and are in presumed compliance of all soil and water conservation requirements. The program includes lists of commodity specific BMP manuals for producers to assess themselves.
- Idaho OnePlan provides data and software to help growers develop a single conservation farm plan that can be pre-endorsed by the various agencies, streamlining and simplifying the regulatory process that farmers face. It is a multi-agency project to combine government regulations and current best management practices for agriculture into a single plan, integrating federal, state, and local regulations for Nutrient, Pest and Waste Management, Water Quality and Wetlands, Air Quality, Financial Assistance, Endangered Species, and Petroleum Storage Tanks. The OnePlan coordinates the various conservation requirements of the numerous agencies with regulatory oversight. “Clippings” of aerial photos, soil data, hydrology maps, roads, and borders on different GIS map layers are available. With this data and the OnePlan software questionnaire, growers can generate a report and plan of action with effective area-specific best management practices (BMPs). The software allows the grower to record management practices over time to see what works: specific activities such as pesticide application, cultivation methods, equipment, etc. can be tracked by field. Farm conservation plans derived from the OnePlan method will qualify farmers for state and federal financial assistance when needed and when available. Anyone can use the OnePlan software and develop a farm plan regardless of how the results are used. It’s entirely up to the individual whether or not to share such information.
- New York’s Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) program is a statewide program that helps farmers address environmental concerns. Participating farmers benefit by documenting farm stewardship, addressing natural resource concerns, reducing farm liability and meeting regulatory requirements. AEM is implemented through the cooperation of several agencies, including Cornell Cooperative Extension, Soil and Water Conservation Districts and the NRCS. The voluntary program helps farmers identify their natural resource concerns by completing confidential environmental risk assessments. Farmers who continue to participate in AEM may receive cost sharing to implement recommended best management practices (BMPs) that address environmental risks.
- Georgia Agricultural Pollution Prevention program is a partnership between the State Pollution Prevention Assistance Division and the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service provides education and technical assistance to the agricultural community. With focus areas in animal waste management, land application, environmental assessment, sustainable agriculture, crop production, and green industry outreach, the program effectively partners with other agencies to bring about environmental improvements. The State environmental regulatory agency and Department of Agriculture routinely refer farmers and landowners to program staff for assistance.
- North Carolina Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance. This P2 program has numerous resources to aid in environmental assessment and review for agriculture. Their EMS tools for pork production will assist a producer in identification of aspects and impacts while other tools are available to assist in EMS development.
- Idaho Dairy Pollution Prevention Initiative. This public-private partnership was formed to resolve major environmental problems that were not being adequately addressed by the federal and state environmental agencies. The partnership is an alliance between two federal and two state agencies, an industry group, and a state university, all committed to eliminating dairy waste discharges to surface and ground waters. The Dairy Initiative partners put in place a formal agreement, entitled the Idaho Dairy Pollution Prevention – Memorandum of Understanding (the Dairy MOU), that capitalized on the frequent presence of ISDA inspectors and provided for their expanded role to ensure that all dairies could contain and properly handle their wastes. ISDA inspectors were given training and engineering support and also given the authority for milk license revocation and suspension as an enforcement tool. Each dairy and its waste storage and handling system would now be inspected for compliance at least annually. This knowledge combined with the threat of instantaneous loss of income has provided dairies with a significantly stronger compliance incentive than existed previously. Under the new ISDA rules, dairies found to be in non-compliance cannot sell milk until they agree to implement a plan for corrective action. Such milk is still collected and processed, but the proceeds go to the appropriate county general fund rather than to the dairy.
- California Dairy Quality Assurance Program. CDQA’s environmental program helps California dairy producers understand and meet federal, state, regional and local requirements for manure and water quality. The certification program is an unprecedented partnership among California’s dairy industry, federal, state and regional government agencies and the UC Cooperative Extension. The program is funded by industry and government, including more than $400,000 in grant money from the US Environmental Protection Agency. The Environmental Stewardship Partnership Agreement includes complete six hours of UC Cooperative Extension courses that cover water regulations, facility evaluation manure management and storm water pollution prevention plans, dairy producers evaluating their specific farm conditions and preparing a plan tailored to their facility, independent third-party compliance evaluations to meet all local, state and federal environmental laws. Dairies completing the evaluation become certified for environmental stewardship.
- Ontario Farm Plan, Environmental Farm Plans (EFP) are documents voluntarily prepared by farm families to increase their awareness of the environment on their farm. Through the EFP process, farmers will highlight environmental strengths on their farm, identify areas of environmental concern, and set realistic goals and time tables to improve environmental conditions. The idea for Environmental Farm Plans originated from the Ontario farm community but includes numerous local and State partners. With over 20,000 participants since the program’s inception in 1993, the EFP program has been very successful in helping Ontario farmers adopt more environmentally sustainable practices so far. Each step of the EFP process is voluntary. The first step is for the farmer to attend an EFP Workshop and get an EFP Workbook. They then complete the self-assessment and develop an Action Plan to address identified areas of environmental concern. Farm plans can then be submitted for a confidential review by a group of locally-appointed farmers. The EFP also has an incentive and awards program that can supply technical and financial assistance.
- Ontario Ministry of Ag. & Food. An excellent series of BMP guides for agriculture
- Peaks to Prairies P2 database: EPA region 8 database containing numerous agricultural projects and case studies