Options for agricultural nonpoint-source pollution control

Excerpt

LOSS of some sediment and agricultural chemicals into the environment is an unavoidable part of agricultural production. Sediment, nutrients, and pesticides can enter surface water resources through runoff, and nutrients and pesticides can enter groundwater through leaching. These residuals often impose costs on users of water resources or adversely affect wildlife. As progress has been made in reducing pollutant loadings from point sources, the relative importance of nonpoint-source pollution, especially from agricultural activity, has become increasingly evident.

A changing program focus

With the increased concern for water quality, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been changing the focus of its conservation efforts. The 1985 Food Security Act contained a number of provisions for reducing the perceived harmful effects of agricultural production on the environment, The conservation compliance provision requires an approved soil conservation plan as a prerequisite for receiving USDA program payments for those producing agricultural commodities on highly erodible land. The sodbuster provision denies farm program benefits to producers who plant commodities on highly erodible grassland or forestland unless they obtain an approved conservation plan and fully apply that plan before planting a commodity. The swampbuster provision denies farm program benefits to anyone who converts wetlands …