Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics Ag Resource Management: Partnering with Ag Retailers to Make a Difference Thomas.

Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics

Ag Resource Management:

Partnering with Ag Retailers

to Make a Difference

Thomas Green, Ph.D., CCA, TSP,

Mark Adelsperger, Rebecca Ressl, M.S.

07/24/13

2012, 2009 US EPA Sustained Excellence in IPM Award 2008, 2005, 2004 National Champion, US EPA Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program

2005 Children’s Environmental Health Recognition Award, US EPA Office of Children’s Health Protection

Harnessing marketplace power to improve health, environment and economics

Agriculture

Check Strip

BMP Strips

Communities

Eighth International IPM SymposiumMarch 2015, Salt Lake City

3

Lake Mendota, Madison WI

4

Lake Mendota, Madison WI

5

Lake Mendota, Madison WI

6

Western Lake Erie

photo credit, John Crumrine

Initial Concept

• Disproportionality: 20% of farmers/farms/acres account for 80% of water quality impacts (Nowak et al. 2006).

• Not bad actors. Inappropriate behaviors.• Ag retailers can help identify and prevent impacts from

these acres by applying profitable products and services.• Funded by Great Lakes Protection Fund, pilot in

Sandusky. Heidelberg, Sandusky River Watershed Coalition, American Farmland Trust (AFT), Agren, International Plant Nutrition Institute, IPM Institute.

7Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 7

Milestones

• Informational sessions with ag retailers and key farmers managing 29,250 acres. Cover crops an easy sell.

• Providing info to ag retailers on cover crops, other opportunities.

• Pilot with 23 farmers representing 35,900 acres. Tracking changes in practices.

• Drafted language for Ag Retailers Association to improve opportunities for retailers in the Farm Bill.

• Partnership for Ag Resource Management website.

• Contacts with Keep it for the Crop (IL) and Agriculture Clean Water Alliance (IA).

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Ag Retailers Motivated

Listening sessions, Fall 2010, farmers, retailers, conservation professionals, let by AFT, Dave Baker intro.

• P losses widespread; not just 20% of acres.• Ag retailers aware of conditions on farms, very

interested in contributing to solutions.

• Associated with rotational no-till, fall application of P, single application for multiple crops in the rotation.

• Uncertainty re impacts of specific practices. Lack of data on product/service implementation.

• Non-operator landowners a key influence on practices, largely out of the loop on problem/solutions. 9

Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 9

Non-operator landownersOutreach to 4300 landowners, with Agren, IPNI,

SWRC, funded by OH NRCS. 50-60% of cropland in SRW is leased by non-operators.

10Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 10

1. Postcard, 4316 mailed2. Reply card, 2x, 439 responses3. Tip sheet, 4316 mailed4. Survey, 4316 mailed, 556 responses

5. Coalition newsletter, +3236. Cover crop postcard, 4316; tip sheet, 323 7. SWCD contacts, 43168. EQIP postcard, 4316; tip sheet, 323

Non-operator landowners- 10% response rate to cards (439), 13% to survey. 323 added to

SRWC mailing list.

- 66% have used SWCD, 53% FSA, 29% OSU, 28% renter, 25% DNR, 22% ODA, 18% NRCS (n=556)

- 70% prefer direct mail contact, 29% newspaper, 24% magazine, 19% email, 1% phone.

- 50% want more info on SWCD services, 34% SRWC activities.

- 27% want info cost share, 27% on set aside, 24% on free conservation planning guidance.

- 41% want info on cover crops, 35% waterway repair, 34% tile repair, 29% soil testing, 28% application timing, 21% variable rate, 18% conservation tillage, 10% 4R Nutrient Stewardship Framework.

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Products and servicesIdentified products and services from John Crumrine’s

toolbox. Researched impacts on P loss.• Priority opportunities:

Soil testing Grid sampling Variable rate P application

Apply for following crop only Apply in rooting zone

Cover crops

• Other BMPs ag retailers can do relatively inexpensively:Notify after P application so farmers can cover

Comply with 590 setbacks Calibrate equipment annually

Don’t apply to frozen ground or in advance of rainfall

Notify farmers of issues they may be unaware of:

tile blowouts gullies

filter strips and waterways in need of repair12

Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 12

• Products/services with more research needed:Liquid P applications Foliar P applications

Controlled release P formulations T-max, Avail

• Services with revenue potential pending research, improvements in programs and policy:

Nutrient Management Conservation Activity PlansEQIP 590 Nutrient Management Plans

• Services requiring additional revenue:Shift P application timing closer to crop need

Stratified soil sampling13

Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 13

Retailer survey

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Practice AcresSoil Test 90,648 Variable Rate Application 88,331 Cover Crops 9,600 Adjust P Application Rate 95,700 Incorporation 192,000 Banded with Corn Planter 156,000 Custom Banding 2,100 Strip Tillage 90,816 Strip Cropping 800 Crop Rotation 3,500 TOTAL CROPLAND ACRES SURVEYED 533,900

Current Implementation - Ag Retailer 2011 Survey

Practice Acres Soil Test 507,722 Variable Rate Application 494,747 Cover Crops 53,770 Adjust P Application Rate 536,020 Incorporation 1,075,401 Banded with Corn Planter 873,763 Custom Banding 11,762 Strip Tillage 44,808 Strip Cropping 4,481 Crop Rotation 19,604 TOTAL CROPLAND ACRES 2,990,400

Current Implementation - Western Lake Erie Basin

Practice AcresSoil Test 165,030 Variable Rate Application 160,813 Cover Crops 17,477 Adjust P Application Rate 174,228 Incorporation 349,548 Banded with Corn Planter 284,008 Custom Banding 3,823 Strip Tillage 14,565 Strip Cropping 1,456 Crop Rotation 6,372 TOTAL CROPLAND ACRES 972,000

Current Implementation - Sandusky Watershed Projection

Survey data

Projections based on survey data

Modeling w/Rem, Heidelberg

SWAT, APEX: Identify priority sub-watersheds

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Total P, five-year avg.370 HRU resolution

DRP, five-year avg.370 HRU resolution

DRP, five-year avg.4350 HRU resolution

Total P DRP

0 0

Total P DRP 592,920 126,360

1.951 0.288 0% 0%

Total P DRP Total P DRP

17,477 - - - 0% 2%

1 26% 8% - -

2 37% -

3 65% 36% - -

160,813 - - - 0% 17%

4 33% 31% - -

5 25% 25% - -

6 55% -

349,548 - - - 0% 36%

7 20% 65% - -

8 32% 21% - -

Custom banding 9 3,823 20% 20% - - - 0% 0%

Variable rate appl ication 10 160,813 - - - 0% 17%

Apply in rooting zone 10 - - - 0% 0%

Apply for fol lowing crop only 10 - - - 0% 0%

Notify farmers after P appl ication so they can incorporate

Cover crops

Additional % of

Watershed

Total % of Watershed

SANDUSKY RIVER WATERSHED

Soi l testing to advise P appl ication rate adjusted to Tri State Ferti l i ty

Guide recommendations

Load Loss (lb/acre) TOTAL Load Reduction (lbs)

GOAL Load Reduction

% of Reduction to Improve Water Quality

Products and Services2011 SRW

Implementation (projection)

Effectiveness Additional Acres

Load Reduction (lb/acre)

Confesor – Ressl Calculator

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Total P DRP

382,662 63,020

Total P DRP 592,920 126,360

1.951 0.288 65% 50%

Total P DRP Total P DRP

17,477 174,770 155,128.67 13,567.23 18% 20%

1 26% 8% 88,644.95 4,019.92

2 37% 18,592.13

3 65% 36% 221,612.38 18,089.64

160,813 160,813 90,977.28 17,107.38 17% 33%

4 33% 31% 103,525.87 14,333.21

5 25% 25% 78,428.69 11,559.04

6 55% 25,429.89

349,548 250,000 126,802.30 30,907.87 26% 62%

7 20% 65% 97,540.23 46,721.20

8 32% 21% 156,064.37 15,094.54

Custom banding 9 3,823 20% 20% 25,000 9,754.02 1,437.58 3% 3%

Variable rate appl ication 10 160,813 - - - 0% 17%

Apply in rooting zone 10 - - - 0% 0%

Notify farmers after P appl ication so they can incorporate

Cover crops

Additional % of

Watershed

Total % of Watershed

SANDUSKY RIVER WATERSHED

Soi l testing to advise P appl ication rate adjusted to Tri State Ferti l i ty

Guide recommendations

Load Loss (lb/acre) TOTAL Load Reduction (lbs)

GOAL Load Reduction

% of Reduction to Improve Water Quality

Products and Services2011 SRW

Implementation (projection)

Effectiveness Additional Acres

Load Reduction (lb/acre)

Watershed-Level Projections

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Total P DRP

13.29 1.96

HRU GOAL Load Reduction 0.00 2.14

% of Reduction to Improve HRU Water Quality 100% 92%

Subbas in 1 Total P DRP 631,800 281,880

HRU Acres 32 0.913 0.227 0.00% 0.00%

Total P DRP Total P DRP

17,477 32 13.29 1.96 0% 2%

1 26% 8% 7.59 0.58

2 37% 2.68 3 65% 36% 18.98 2.61

174,228 - - - 0% 18%

4 33% 31% - - 5 25% 25% - - 6 55% -

349,548 - - - 0% 36%

7 20% 65% - - 8 32% 21% - -

Custom Banding 9 3,823 20% 20% - - - 0% 0%Variable rate appl ication 10 174,228 - - - 0% 18%

Apply in rooting zone 10 - - - 0% 0%

SANDUSKY RIVER WATERSHED

Products and Services

TOTAL Load Reduction (lbs)

SRW GOAL Load Reduction

% of Reduction to Improve SRW Water Quality

Notify farmers after P appl ication so they can incorporate

Cover Crops

Soi l testing to advise P appl ication rate adjusted to Tri

State Ferti l i ty Guide recommendations

Additional % of

Watershed

Total % of Watershed

Load Loss (lb/acre)

Effectiveness Load Reduction (lb/acre)2011 SRW Implementation (projection)

Additional Acres

4350-HRU Level

18Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 18

Next Steps

- Complete, validate calculator and retailer business plan.- Set acre goals for products/services with each retailer;

project cost, revenue, reduction in losses.

- Develop strategies, tactics to achieve goals.

- Track, aggregate, report progress.

- Update retailer survey for 2012 results, 2013 intentions.

- Create agronomist-friendly version and tip card: What does a critical farm look like? What does a critical field look like?

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Next Steps (continued)

- Complete remaining funded landowner campaign steps.

- Complete sample NM CAP including time/cost estimates.

- Webinar for watershed program leaders.

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Pending Grant Proposals

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- NRCS CIG: Enhancement of Nutrient Tracking Tool with Verification of Cover Crop Data.

- National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: Increased EQIP Participation in the Western Lake Erie Basin. Awarded 7/22/13.

Bibliography: Model projections

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1 Jokela and Casler 2011

2 Zhu et al. 1989

3 Nutrient Tracking Tool: Carroll County, MD

4 Nutrient Tracking Tool: Carroll County, MD

5 Devlin et al. 2003

6 Gitau et al. 2001

7 Devlin et al. 20038 Nutrient Tracking Tool: Carroll County, MD9 Devlin et al. 200310 No effectiveness data