Farm-System Modeling to Evaluate Environmental Losses and Management Practice Cost-Effectiveness Andy McLean, Tamie Veith, Al Rotz, Jim Hamlett, Jim Shortle USDA-ARS Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit & The Pennsylvania State University
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Farm System Modeling to Evaluate Environmental Losses, Profitability, and BMP Cost-Effectiveness
http://www.extension.org/67629 To meet Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load requirements for agricultural pollution, conservation districts and farmers are tasked with implementing best management practices (BMPs) that reduce farm losses of nutrients and sediment. The importance of the agricultural industry to the regional economy highlights the need for determining cost-effective BMP solutions given the geographical and operational characteristics of these farms. This study evaluated both the environmental risk and farm profitability of common farm-level management practices for three major farm types in the region: crop, tractor-based ("English") dairy, and horse-drawn ("Amish") dairy.
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Farm-System Modeling to Evaluate Environmental Losses and
Management Practice Cost-Effectiveness
Andy McLean, Tamie Veith, Al Rotz, Jim Hamlett, Jim Shortle
USDA-ARS Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research
Unit & The Pennsylvania State University
Loadings to the Chesapeake Bay
Agriculture dominates all other sectors for
nutrient and sediment contributions57
%
45%
70%Legend
AgriculturePoint SourceForestDeveloped
Study Region
Chesapeake Bay
Susquehanna River
Dauphin County
Lebanon County
Lancaster County
Most Beneficial Practices as Determined by Regional
StudiesRank Lancaster County
Informal Study (2004)
CBC (2004) Cost-effective strategies for the Bay
1 Nutrient management plan
Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades
2 Cover crops Diet and Feed Adjustments
3 Management advice Traditional Nutrient Management
4 Structural field practices Enhanced Nutrient Management
5 Conservation tillage Conservation Tillage
6 Implement farm conservation plan
Cover Crops
7 Cultural field practices (crop rotation, etc.)
8 Develop farm conservation plan
9 Grass buffers, 15-ft
10 Animal waste system
Objective
Simulate representative farming systems for this region to determine the environmental benefit of
management practices and determine their economic
value to the producer
Baseline Descriptions
Crop FarmOld Order
Amish DairyContemporary
Dairy
400 ha (1000 ac)4 yr rotationC-SB-C-SB/WW
Primarily no-till Import poultry manure & some starter fertilizer
100 cows120 ha (300 ac)8 yr rotation
2(Cg)-2(Cs/WW)-4(Hay)Primarily no-tillLow grain to forage50% rented fields