By Courtney Briggs, president, Agricultural Nutrient Policy Council
Farmers are often called the original environmentalists. Tied to the land, farmers work tirelessly to improve soil health and manage finite resources to improve their acreage for future generations.
As technology has progressed, so has on-farm efficiency and environmental stewardship. But, even with improvements to nutrient management, nutrient losses – both from agriculture and other sectors of society – still pose a threat to the nation’s water quality.
That’s where the Agricultural Nutrient Policy Council comes in. Since 2010, the ANPC has been working together with state and federal agencies, members of the scientific community, farm organizations and industry, and farmers themselves, to keep the water quality needle moving in the right direction.
ANCP is helping share both new ways of reducing nutrient loss and the progress the industry has made in improving water quality.
With lawmakers, agency heads and media, the ANPC is sharing stories about how farmers are using new technology, scientific research and time-honored stewardship practices to protect water quality. This includes stories such as how farmers’ voluntary efforts have reduced agricultural nitrogen loads in the Mississippi / Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB) by 26% for a net total reduction of 23% relative to the baseline.
Unfortunately, phosphorus loads are a different story. Unlike nitrogen, phosphorus loads are not tracking downward leaving stakeholders, well, stumped.
Why are current nutrient loss reduction efforts moving the needle for nitrogen but not phosphorus? And how can agriculture and farmers reduce phosphorus loss and further improve water quality?
To try to answer these questions, the ANPC hosted a phosphorus science and emerging research workshop in Washington D.C. this past October. With more than 150 attendees at the table representing agriculture, the scientific community, state and federal agency leaders, the group discussed current and emerging science surrounding phosphorus use – and loss – in agriculture.
They also reviewed current academic work on phosphorus losses linked to non-point sources to see if studies shed any light on the divergence and discussed how to better communicate the observed trends and what they mean for nutrient reduction efforts moving forward.
Attendees tackled phosphorus load trend data in waterways across the U.S. and Canada, current nutrient management practices and implementation, in-stream phosphorus dynamics, streambank erosion and sediment storage, tile drainage, and more.
One of the most beneficial – and practical – aspects of the day-long in-person and virtual meeting was the roundtable discussion to wrap up the day’s agenda. Reviewing the day’s agenda, attendees were able to identify potential needs moving forward, including the needs to:
- fill critical research gaps;
- enhance collaboration, including the need to identify key stakeholders who are missing from the water quality discussion, strategies to stimulate active sharing of existing research, and efforts to foster future collaboration;
- work with farmers and stakeholders to identify and employ the right practices for the right issues;
- increase education for farmers;
- communicate effectively to different audiences;
- research to develop a better understanding of upland drainage to streams and how phosphorus moves through the process;
- prioritize research and potential recommendations for policy makers; and
- distill a complicated issue for policy makers and other influencers.
Reducing phosphorus loss is proving to be a more complicated issue than farmers and stakeholders realized. But ANPC is determined to continue to bring researchers, farmers, agriculture organizations and industry leaders together to keep progress trending in the right direction. Comprised of agriculture trade groups and agriculture businesses, the Agricultural Nutrient Policy Council creates a forum for farmers and ag businesses to share new ways of reducing nutrient loss and is bridging the gap between farmers and stakeholders and lawmakers and governmental agencies to help farmers reduce nutrient loss and improve water quality.
Opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the Sustainable Phosphorus Alliance.