ABSTRACT:
Farming systems that combine animals, forage, and cash grain production have the opportunity to augment commercial fertilizers with nutrients generated on a farm. To do this, the farmer must weigh the economic benefits associated with a low-risk option of relying on commercial nutrients against technological and managerial uncertainties associated with using on-farm nutrient sources. This decision by the farmer must be made in the context of maintaining a financially-viable farm while reducing the probability of environmental degradation caused by over-application of crop nutrients. Supposedly, best management practices (BMPs) promoted by water quality programs help the farmer achieve this objective.
A survey was conducted among Wisconsin livestock farmers to assess the application of all sources of nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P2O5) in the production of corn. Nitrogen and phosphorus inputs were selected because they have been shown to negatively effect the surface and ground water resources when used in excess or in sensitive ecobgical areas. This research differed from more common attitudinal surveys of farmers by focusing on the actual agronomic behaviors associated with the management of crop nutrients in mixed farming systems.
Data from 1,928 farms in Wisconsin was used in this analysis to determine the overall nutrient application rates and use of BMPs. Results indicate that two out of three farmers apply excess nitrogen (N), which four out of five apply excess phosphorus (P2O5) for corn production. Few use the recommended BMPs in an appropriate fashion. These results indicate that farmers' actual behavior patterns must be brought into the design of both best management practices and implementation strategies for water quality programs.
Footnotes
Robin Shepard is water resource educational programs coordinator for the University of Wisconsin Extension, and assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Journalism, University of Wisconsin-Madison, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Madison, Wisc. This paper represents an ongoing data collation effort by a team of interdisciplinary researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The following members of that team helped prepare the survey instrument (s) and provided assistance with data analysis: Peter Nowak, Department of Rural Sociology; Garrett O'Keefe, Department of Agricultural Journalism; and Fred Madison, Department of Soil Science and Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey.
- Copyright 2000 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society
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