Comments to All Farmers
Response
Wayward Farmers - farmer - MRGS
4/23/2008
As far as the manure is concerned I don't think transporting it
outside the
watershed is an alternative because it could harm the area your
transporting it to.
You could sell it, give it away for use, or use it yourself. If
you are near water
and fear of polluting the watershed then you can employ BMPs to
reduce the
impact of the manure on the watershed. This may eliminate the
need for
expensive technologies and you would be able to farm all your
land. BMPs such as
a good riparian buffer and no till planting could greatly reduce
pollution and run -
off.
Farmers
Wayward Farmers
Massanutten Gov. S.-Newcomer
3/31/2008
We are alternative fuel farmers from Gretna, Virginia
where we currently use corn as our
primary source for alternative fuel. Recently it has
come to our attention that switch grass
produces a higher fuel yield in regards to ethanol than
corn. Because of this recent
development we have made the decision to convert to
using switch grass, instead of corn as
our primary source of alternative fuel.
Not only does switch grass produce a higher yield than
corn, but it also reduces many
harmful farming practices. For example, switch grass
grows better when no-till farming is
used; this helps to reduce the amount of soil erosion
taking place. Switch grass also doubles
as a cover crop, and switch grass is drought and flood
resistant. The carbon storing roots
of switch grass help to maintain soil and water quality
even after the crop has been
harvested. It can grow in poor, rocky soil with a pH
over 5. Another plus is that regular hay
equipment can be used to harvest the switch grass. Also
existing farm buildings can be
modified to store the switch grass. This makes switching
to switch grass an easy step for
farmers to make with very few hidden costs involved.
Currently, corn produces up to 400 gallons of ethanol
per acre. Switch grass however
produces up to 1,000 gallons of ethanol and up to 8 to
10 tons of biomass per acre. This
means that switch grass can yield up to 93 percent more
biomass per acre. Currently, the
production cost of ethanol is $55 per ton; this figure
includes the cost of storage,
transportation, and production. The annual profit is
$103 per acre.We are some of the
first farmers in our area to begin turning a profit from
the use of switch grass; hopefully,
because of our example and the other varied benefits of
switch grass, it will become the
plant to save the bay. By protecting the water and soil
quality of our backyard, we can
protect and fix the quality of our beloved Chesapeake
Bay.
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
From:
Home Jackets - homeowner - MHS
Ask
4/8/2008
I really like your POV. What are you going to do to help
to keep the what clearn?
I see your point, using corn as fuel jacks the price of
feed up and i've heard that
switch grass is more efficent the corn as fuel, I've
also heard that you get more
fuel out of suger cain. What are the pros and cons of
farming suger cain.
From:
Shenandoah Junction Farmers Inc. - farmer - JHS
Ask
4/10/2008
You said switch grass is an alturnitive fuel. If it can
be used as a fuel than it is very
combustable, if it spills what could it do to harm the
bay? What do you do if it
ignites?
From:
The Forester Boys - Other - KHS(K)
Ask
4/10/2008
Does corn or grass put off any green house gases, if so
what?
From:
Mineral County Agriculturalists (the Aggies) - farmer -
Ask
4/10/2008
While you do acknowledge the lack of efficiency of
ethanol have you also considered
the effects of monocropping? If all land is used for
one type of crop then the
carbon will not be recycled as well. I've also seen
studies that state cutting down
forests and plowing up unused land will lead to a
increase in atmosphere. Carbon
previously stored in the trees and soils will be
released back into the atmosphere.
The study suggested biofuels could lead to an increase
in carbon emisions. Just a
thought. Wanted to point that out. Very good ideas
though.
From:
Chicken Kickers'' 101 - farmer - MHS
Ask
4/11/2008
What exactly is switch grass?
From:
awesomley amazing super spectacular envoirnmentalist -
Other -
Ask
4/23/2008
I dont really understand the switch grass part. Explain
it more!
|
Farmers
lonely farmers
Hampshire H.S.-Moore
4/1/2008
Many people blame most of today’s problems on the
local farmers. I completely disagree
that it is the entire farmers fault. Of course the
Chesapeake Bay is getting hit hard.
Farmers, homeowners, waterman, recreation and tourism,
and of course the fish is getting
hit hard. Every person that lives in the area is at
fault.
Farmers for years now have been using fertilizer on the
fields, normally it is manure, but it
was a slow process of what has happened. Many farmers do
use best management
practices. For example, my family uses all types of
buffers, sediment ponds, and has put
aside land that is not used for agricultural reason
along the streams. Everyone knows that
the increase in phosphates is a bigger problem with the
watershed. Well, not only farmers
use phosphates, homeowners also use them. People do not
realize that when you wash your
hands the soap has phosphates in it. For many
years, as I said, farmers have been
fertilizing. We all know that it is a slow process of
getting into the stream. Today, there is a
much bigger problem. Any type of animal processing
plants is normally placed along rivers.
Many people do not realize the amount of hormones that
is used to raise a chicken in four
weeks. It use to take six months to a year, depending on
what feed was being used ; now it
is taking four weeks to raise a bird. Come on, now yes
it is a field of agriculture but it is
industry. So, it is just not farmers.
Now there are ways for farmers to lessen the speedy
process. Many farmers have been
contacted by many groups to help them lessen the
problem. For example, my family has
planted new trees around all stream access, and cut off
all animal access. Place buffers
around the water source if it is necessary to
production. Place gravel or stone to make a
walk way for the livestock. There are many ways that
will help lessen this problem that one
day could damage the Bay for good.
In order to fix or delay the problem everyone needs to
help one another. Homeowners, if
you want clean, healthy water stop using as much soap,
or harmful cleaners. An alternative
to harsh cleaners is vinegar. Using the harsh cleaner is
actually dangerous to you and your
bathroom facility. It breaks down the liner in the tub.
So, use less soap and less cleaners,
use natural things. Industries already have regulations,
but my personal opinion is slap some
more on. Don’t allow waste from the plant to flow down
the rivers. People all around this
watershed eat the products of what is causing the
problem.
So, in order to fix the problem everyone NEEDS to help
ONE ANOTHER!!! Stop blaming
the other person for all of our faults. In conclusion,
everyone is at fault from the farmer
to the homeowner right on into the industry.
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
From:
DORY-DORY FISH - Waterman - MHS
Ask
4/8/2008
If we used less soap and less cleaners, don't you
think that we would be a little
dirty? and what do you suppose the we use for soap
that is natural?
Response
lonely farmers - farmer - HHS
4/10/2008
9:49:00 AM
Not necessarily. Back in the old, old days they only
took a bath maybe twice
a month, if they were lucky. In today's society it
has been pounded in our
mind that we must take a bath everyday. When it has
been proven that it is
not the best thing, it dries our skin out. Many
people today do not work as
hard as they did, so you shouldn't stink. The type
of soap that was mainly
used was lye soap. Which is made from lard and other
natural resources.
Also if you get a bad case of poison ivy, lye soap
works wanders.
From:
Home Jackets - homeowner - MHS
Ask
4/8/2008
I liked that you stated your family in this. The POV
takes a personal turn, but you
forgot to mention that homeowners also use
fertilizers, and many homeowners don't
use a best management practices.
Response
lonely farmers - farmer - HHS
4/10/2008
10:26:00 AM
Although, you didn't formally ask a question, I just
want to comment back.
That is an excellent point. Thanks for including
that. Homeowner also use
fertilizer, but many people would say well, its not
in large amounts. Well any
amount will cause problems. Also, the fertilizer
they use, if they have a well,
it goes into their drinking water, so they are
hurting themselves.
From:
fishies - CB_Ecosystem - MHS
Ask
4/8/2008
what problems are blamed on local farmers?
From:
DORY-DORY FISH - Waterman - MHS
Statement
4/11/2008
well that is lovely but i like my Victoria's Secret,
and its not tested on animals. and i can also
go to the store and buy lotion for my dry skin...
some people work hard in a day, harder
than in the olden days, and they are very dirty, i
think that they deserve to take a bath
every day if they want.
From:
The Forester Boys - Other - KHS(K)
Statement
4/11/2008
Do you have proof that that farmers have nothing to
do with the pollution problem in the
bay?
Response
lonely farmers - farmer - HHS
4/15/2008
I believe you are right lonely farmers. Manure can
cause toxins to the fish killing
them and polluting the water. It is truly the
farmers faults they are the ones with
the fertilizer not us. If the manure gets in the
water fish die, and our drinking
water turns discusting.
Response
lonely farmers - farmer - HHS
4/23/2008
It is not all of the farmers fault. Yes, farmers do
use fertilizer; to produce the
food you eat. So if farmers didn't use FERTILIZERS
you would go hungry.
Homeowners also use fertilizers. It beats me why,
when they complain about
destroying the water. Do you use FERTILIZER on any
of you lawns or gardens?
From:
The Pitchforks - farmer - MdSA
Ask
4/16/2008
Dear Lonely farmers - how would using less soap
impact our Bay? i understand that
there are chemicals but have there been tests or
data to show that soap has that great
of an effect?
From:
Wayward Farmers - farmer - MRGS
Ask
4/23/2008
Firstly, you focus a lot of what other stakeholder
groups can do...what does that have to
do with farmers? Secondly, farmers do have
responsibility in polluting the bay (by the
way...could you mention what you're doing to help
the bay?) and though they are not the
only ones to blame, they are not faultless. It would
be nice to see you admit to the
detrimental effects farmers have on the bay and what
you can do to fix it. Thirdly, are
there are any alternate practices to your chicken
farming idea that are equally effective
that will not risk putting hormones into the bay?
Otherwise, it's a well written paper and well
developed ideas...I would just like to see
more thought on your own responsibility as a
stakeholder group. Thanks!
|
Farmers
Chicken Kickers'' 101
Moorefield H.S.-Gillies
4/1/2008
Why are Poultry Farms Important? Poultry Farms are
important because they produce the
food we eat. Without farms there would be no food.
Poultry farming is the process of
raising chickens for their meat. Since the 1930s and
'40s, the poultry business has become
one of the most efficient producers of protein for
humans. Poultry farming expanded
rapidly during World War II because of the shortage of
beef and pork, which require a
much longer time to develop. It takes seven weeks to
produce a broiler chicken and five
months to produce a laying hen. The average consumption
of beef and pork decreased,
between 1980 and 1995, by 11 percent. While consumption
of chickens increased by 50
percent. During the same time concern about cholesterol
contributed to a decline in egg
consumption. Food Safety and Inspection Service of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture
federally monitores poultry and egg production. The U.S.
supplies more than 10 percent of
the total egg production. The U.S. is a leader in
poultry production. While California
produced 9 percent of the nations eggs. That's why
poultry farms are important because
without them there would be no eggs or chickens.
4) Which types of solution would I prefer to stop or
slow down the pollution on my Farm?
By putting the chicken remains on the field when they
die is pollution to the watershed of
that area. When the rain hits the dead chickens reamains
it washes off then drains the
bacteria off it into the nearest creek. So my solution
is to make a compost pile under a
covered roof. This will let the weather break it down
then it will be broke down enough to
put on the fields safely. Another thing that I will
work on is having a drainage pond
(sediment pond) for all the water that comes out of the
chicken houses and then it will go
straight into the sediment pond. Maybe I could even try
to invest in some lime for the
fields in place for the chicken litter. That will lower
the pollution a very little but still
effective. Also will having a cover crop on the corn
fields. The cover crop will take in the
nutrients in the soil and then will collect the
sediments in the runoff. These were the most
effective for the price.
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
From:
lonely farmers - farmer - HHS
Ask
4/7/2008
Chicken Kickers" 101, although the chicken industry has
been around for a long time,
it has its down falls. You say another way to get rid of
the waste is to put it on the
field, but what happens if that waste is diseased? Then,
how would you take care of
that. Why not burn the left overs, or form a decompost
pile. There are many things
to think about when it comes to chickens. During the
World War 2, there were not as
many people living in the U.S. needing to be feed. So,
with the increase of people
there is more of a demand for the food. So, in this case
the birds must be put on
horomones to hasten the growth. This process causes many
problems. How would you
fix a diseased field, a diseased chicken house, or
contaminated water?
From:
The Greens - homeowner - MRGS
Statement
4/23/2008
You explained why chicken farming is important but you
didn't really have any real
solutions to the issues it has. Also, if you put a
compost pile under a covered roof then
the manure will not be able to be "weathered down" like
you said. Even so if it is broken
down, it will still pollute the river when it is spread
on the fields. Another question I have
is, if you have a chicken farm(which are chicken houses)
why would you need a cover
crop? Is this strictly a chicken farm or do you sell
crops, too?
From:
Fishin' Impossible - Waterman - MRGS
Ask
4/23/2008
Farming goes beyond poultry. What else would you do to
curb the effects of your
farm on the Chesapeake Bay- even you said that your
practices would be minimal and
would do very little. Could you expand on your ideas
and talk more about what you
would do to stop pollution from the rest of your farm?
|
Farmers
yee old farmers
Hampshire H.S.-Moore
4/1/2008
As farmers we produce a lot of animal waste, which
produces methane gas. There are a lot
of alternates to animal wastes like transporting excess
manure outside of the Chesapeake
Bay watershed. We agree with the use of other
technologies but we do not want to pay for
the expenses for the transportation of the manure. The
problem with out using manure is
that the ground may not let crops grow as well with the
poor soil. We could always not
spread manure as close to the waters edge as we usually
do. Then we would be loosing
money and we think that we should get a little money for
the acres that we do not harvest
and sell. There are a lot of people around our area that
think we should take money out of
our own pocket and put it into what they want us to do
but we don’t see it that way.The
solution for this problem may be as simple as if we do
something to make the water shed
better that’s going to cost us then we should get a
little money back from that in some way.
Such as the people that use the river like fishers that
pay for their fishing license then
they should take some money out of that profit and
distribute it to the farmers. The point
is basically that if we farmers are to do something good
for the watershed then we should
get something back for it or we are not going to want to
do it.
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
From:
Home Jackets - homeowner - MHS
Ask
4/8/2008
There wasn't a lot on information. What about sediment
and nutrients?
From:
Mineral County Agriculturalists (the Aggies) - farmer -
Ask
4/10/2008
In this article you point out that you don't want to do
anything good for the
watershed unless you get something back. How much do you
think you should be
getting back? Why not put the money your getting back
into better transportation
for the manure? There also are other items pollunting
the bay, why not use some of
the money to reduce the sediments going into the bay by
putting in forest buffers or
something of the sort?
From:
Home Jackets - homeowner - MHS
Ask
4/11/2008
what are the alternates to animal wastes? if you
trasnport the the manure outside this
watarshead, it will just polluat other watarshead. what
good will that do!
From:
DORY-DORY FISH - Waterman - MHS
Ask
4/11/2008
If you have a stream running through your pasture
couldn't you cut the access off from
the cows so they dont put excess sediment in the water?
From:
The Pitchforks - farmer - MdSA
Ask
4/16/2008
Why don't you just ask the local government for just
enough money to provide you with
what you need instead of taking money from the fisherman
who worked hard for their
money?
|
Farmers
Shenandoah
Junction Farmers Inc.
Jefferson H.S.-Gipson
4/2/2008
As a farmer we produce much of the food that people and
animals consume in the U.S and
worldwide. The Farmers shouldn't be blamed for
everything that causes pollution to the
Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. The farms may use
manure which may cause
algiboom or other eco-problems. Other farmers near the
river may be using manure or
other fertilizers. The problem with with the farmers
using eco-friendly fertilizers, is that
these fertilizers cost so much. But, as Farmers we
should be blamed because many people
trow things in the river and bay. The people that are in
Metropolitan areas should be blamed
over the farmers. Many water problems have now been
linked to pharmaceutical drugs and
other chemicals which would be released in more
populated areas. The chemicals and
pharmaceutical drugs would be in a more concentrated
amount. So as farmers I belive that
we shouldn't be blamed for everything. And If the
Goverment is so worried about the
Chesapeake Bay Watershed they need to create tax
incentives for farmers that use eco-
friendly fertilizers. The goverment should try and make
them cheeper because we lose so
much money.
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
From:
Team Green - homeowner - HHS
Statement
4/7/2008
I think that Farmers and people in the city are equally
responsible for the pollution in
the rivers and streams. They both add unwanted waste to
the rivers. We need to be
more aware of the wastes we put in our streams. We also
need to think of the long
term effects it will have on our environment.
Response
Shenandoah Junction Farmers Inc. - farmer -
4/10/2008
7:20:00 AM
I Know You Said That You think that farmers and people
from the city
release the same anount but if farmers on agriculurists
use the right amount
of fertilizer on the ground it breakes up so as farmers
can we really be
blamed for much of the problems.
From:
fishies - CB_Ecosystem - MHS
Ask
4/8/2008
I agree, farmers cannot be blamed for everything
and they should not be.
Farmer should help come up with ways that they could
contribute to helping without
spending too much money. The question is, how could you
help? What could you do
that would help?
From:
Muffins - developer - JHS
Statement
4/10/2008
Yea, farmers put so much pollutants in the water. Find
a something better then
pesticides or make ones that dont pollute the water!!
>:[
Response
Shenandoah Junction Farmers Inc. - farmer -
4/14/2008
Where did you get your facts? Do you know you would
starve with out farmers
From:
DB Defenders - Waterman - JWHS(T)
Statement
4/15/2008
You are WRONG! Farmers are greedy (and dirty) therefore
unwilling to pay a couple
bucks extra to keep a healthy environment. Farming is
becoming less and less common
because no one likes farmers. Farmers are solely
responsible for the pollution in the CB
watershed.
Response
hug a tree - Other - RHS
4/18/2008
i dont think farmers should be blamed for the pollution
problem because they are
the backbone of this country. if it wasnt for them we
wouldnt have all the fresh
crops, friuts, and vegitables to eat.
From:
The Chesapeake Strip Mall - Other - MRGS
Statement
4/16/2008
DB Defenders, that's not only a very misinformed
statement, it's also disgustingly
closed-minded. Saying that farmers are SOLELY
responsible for pollution in the CB
watershed is plainly ignorant - there are so many other
variables, including YOU -
including each of us. The watershed's youth is trying to
come together and talk about
solutions for the problems that affect all of us. This
kind of collaboration is made
difficult when offensive and untrue statements like
these are made with such flippancy.
If you still feel this way, I suggest you open up your
refrigerator or pantry and
contemplate how all of that food is available to you
because of your supposedly "greedy
and dirty" farmers.
From:
Yellow Lemons - recreation - JWHS(T)
Ask
4/17/2008
Yea you are right the farmers are not to blame. To clear
up your statement how would
the govt help you out in the fight to save the bay?
Response
Shenandoah Junction Farmers Inc. - farmer -
4/18/2008
You asked how the goverment could help us as farmers to
save the bay.
The goverment could help by putting tax encentives and
try and lower the price
of eco-frendly fertilizer so we could try and make a
living while producing a yield
that could feed many people wile having smaller tracts
of land.
|
Farmers
the big polluters
Buffalo Gap H.S.-Riley
4/3/2008
The farmer has a huge impact on the Chesapeake Bay. We
pollute the bay with our
fertilizer and pesticides but we can’t grow what we need
if we didn’t put it on our crops.
We need to find better ways to use the products we need
without polluting the bay. We
either need to find a way to stop the products from
going into the bay or it’s just going to
keep getting worse because we can’t stop farming.
The farmers dump a lot of waste into the bay whether
it’s on purpose or not. We need to
use the products that we need and no more. The farmers
can plant tree buffers that way
it does not run off into the stream. Also, by planting
tree buffers farmers can get paid for
planting them. They get paid for rent on their land
where the trees take up space. There
are a lot of programs like the NREC that farmers can use
to fix the pollution problem.
There are projects that the community can join the help
the bay. The farmers can put a
nutrient management plan on their land to help fix the
problem.
These are some solutions to solving the problem of the
bay pollution. We all need to do our
part to help clean up the bay. If we all work together
the bay will clean again someday.
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
From:
fishies - CB_Ecosystem - MHS
Ask
4/11/2008
How will this help fix the problem?
Response
the big polluters - farmer - BGHS
4/25/2008
That will keep the water from running into rivers and
streams.
From:
Wishy Washy Watermen - Waterman - RHS
Ask
4/17/2008
What are some solutions to solving the problem of the
Bay pollution?
Response
the big polluters - farmer - BGHS
4/25/2008
Planting tree buffers, using less dangerous fertilizers.
From:
corn not ethanol - farmer - RHS
Ask
4/17/2008
Don't you think that it would be a good idea to use the
animal waste as fertilizer and in
that way we don't contaminate the water with commercial
fertilizer? In that way we
clean our animal waste to prevent future contamination
and you save money on
commrercial fertilizer. Do you think I'm right or
wrong?
Response
the big polluters - farmer - BGHS
4/25/2008
I agree that animal waste would be less expensive and
wouldn't have as much
dangerous chemicals that could pollute the bay. No
matter what kind of fertilizer
you use it will still pollute the bay to some extent.
|
Farmers
SJJ Farmers
Jefferson H.S.-Gipson
4/4/2008
we
are important because we care about the environment. we
grow food and
produce milk .the bays problems affects us because it
can contmatne our crops and live
stock. we would loose money . farmers pollute the soil
with the ferizilers and pestizlies .we
should either use manure or natural soil.we would loose
size of crops by not haveing the
same soil as usual. also more time and effort, as then
just buying the product and puting on
the ground. it benifits more into the environment . we
probably will disappere if nothing is
done about this !!
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
From:
DORY-DORY FISH - Waterman - MHS
Ask
4/8/2008
What are ways that you could improve alternative soils
for your crops to gain back
produce and money?
Response
SJJ Farmers - farmer - JHS
4/9/2008
1:19:00 PM
One way we would change the alternating soils would be
us useing the old
fashion gardening tools to dig the ground up by making
it rich and soft for
crops to easily grow.Another way would be to use cover
crops so your ground
can always be in use. So we can produce more money.
Response
DORY-DORY FISH - Waterman - MHS
4/11/2008
People still use old fashioned gardening tools for small
gardens but for cover
crops in major fields, those types of tools would be of
little use due to the
large amount of land that needs to be cultivated in a
short amount of time.
This would make the outcome of the profit actually lower
and the farmers
would also have to do even more work then before.
Response
SJJ Farmers - farmer - JHS
4/16/2008
We did not mean for the old time tools to be used on
large crop fields. Using crop
rotaion will make you more money, not less. you have to
let the fields and soil
gain back nutrients so you can get a good harvest. If
you use the proper
equiptment and know what your doing your outcome will be
fine.
From:
Bojangles - farmer - JWHS(T)
Ask
4/11/2008
What solutions can help solve your problems???
From:
The Counting Coals - Other - MRGS
Statement
4/23/2008
If you want to help the bay rather than hurting it look
for alternative ways to keep
these pollutants out of the water by using good farming
methods. Also look into
spreading your livestocks manure on your fields because
it may actually be cheaper and
safer for the environment. Please explain how using
natural soil will make a difference
on the impact of the bay.
From:
Industry Minimizing Pollution - Other - MRGS
Ask
4/23/2008
What have farmers done already to improve the
environment? You focus more on what
the farmers should do, for instance, use manure or
natural soil but haven't mentioned
how that would improve or benefit the environment. Also,
how would using natural soil or
manure affect the bay?
Response
Fishin' Impossible - Waterman - MRGS
4/23/2008
I think you need to reevaluate your effect on the Bay.
Agricultural waste is the
number one cause of the degradation of the Bay. The
spike in nutrients (nitrogen,
phosphorus, and potassium) from runoff from farm
fertilizers is responsible for
eutrophication in the Bay. The nutrients are conducive
to the growth of algae.
After the algae blooms, bacteria decompose it, removing
excessive amounts of
oxygen from the water. A lack of dissolved oxygen is
highly detrimental to the
food chain, which is responsible for the severe fall in
fish and shellfish.
Agricultural pollution has severely impacted the
livelihood of fishermen and others
who rely on the health of the Bay. The Bay's problems
do not affect farmers
adversely, as you stated--farmers detrimentally impact
the Bay. Agriculture is
the primary adversary of the Bay, not the other way
around.
|
Farmers
THE FARMERS
Hampshire H.S.-Moore
4/8/2008
This issue in which is present throughout the
Chesapeake Bay is not being caused only by
farmers. The actions made by farmers do have an impact
upon the conflicts of the
environment around the bay. Actions such as decreasing
the nitrogen by 33 percent and the
phosphorus by 53 percent in nutrients is a major step
towards helping the changes
progress throughout the environment. Nitrogen and
phosphorus occur naturally in the soil
but, an excess of these nutrients can be harmful.
Due to the fact that much of the Chesapeake is now
surrounded by farms, cities, and
suburbs the shoreline does not have natural vegetation
which at one point in time helped
hold the bay's banks together. Also there are now very
few wetlands and forests
surrounding the bay. Runoff from farms is generally
declining as farmers adopt nutrient
management and runoff control techniques. Also the
overall amount of farmland and
farmers is decreasing.
Farmers are being given grants to place watering
mechanisms to keep livestock from
entering nearby creeks and streams. Farmers are reducing
erosion and sedimentation by
20-90 percent by applying management measures to control
the volume and flow rate of
runoff water in which keeps the soil in place and
reduces the soil transport. Farmers
confining animals cause polluted runoff percentages to
be raised. This issue can be fixed
by simply managing the facility. Some build a place for
runoff to exit and also to be stored.
Also water treatments are available which can be placed
in areas in which runoff is being
stored.
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
From:
Representing Luke Mill - Other - KHS(K)
Ask
4/9/2008
What would be acceptable nitrogen and phosphorus?
Response
Representing Luke Mill - Other - KHS(K)
4/10/2008
6:50:00 AM
Nitrogen and phosphorus levels that is.
Response
THE FARMERS - farmer - HHS
4/10/2008
8:18:00 AM
The amounts of each nutrient depends upon the amounts
inwhich the soil
already posseses. The nutrients inwhich is rich in the
soil do not need to be
added. For example if a soil test indicates high levels
of phosphorus and
potassium availability, then a fertilizer supplying only
nitrogen is
necessary.When an excess of a specific nutrient is added
the amounts
inwhich the soil does not need is washed off. By taking
a soil sample and
mixing only the needed nutrients you can reduce the
chances of increasing
the amounts of harmful runoff.
|
Farmers
farmer Steve
James Wood H.S.-Fordyce
4/8/2008
Getting involved in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed helps
me continue having a good future
being a farmer. If the run off water in my fields have
chemicals on them the runoff from
it will pollute the water shed. I have to be careful
what I use on my fields because I can’t
cause pollutants in the bay. I will have to use organic
fertilizers instead of using the ones
all the other farmers are using. Runoff water won’t be
able to be used for irrigation which
will cause me money in the long run. Well-maintained
forest buffers also naturally absorb
nutrients and sediments, helping improve water quality
in neighboring streams and rivers.
One of out solutions is to raise money so we can start
regulation plans on the water so we
can make sure it stays clean. We also would like to come
up with a program to get other
farmers around the world to get involved in using safe
practices to help clean up the
Chesapeake Bay.The cost of the solutions is going to
affect my income because it’s going to
be very costly. I would save money by not using as much
fertilizer because it’s good for me
and it’s good for the watershed. I will try to have a
meeting involving all of the farmers
and try to get them to understand the importance of
keeping the Chesapeake Bay clean.
Our best solution is to make farmers understand how
important it is to keep waste runoff
out of the bay.
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
From:
The Counting Coals - Other - MRGS
Statement
4/23/2008
You're right, using less fertilizer and installing
buffers would be helpful to the Bay. But
it would be very difficult to have an effective
regulation group because run off is a non
point source of pollution.
|
Farmers
Fundraising farmers
James Wood H.S.-Fordyce
4/8/2008
I am a farmer having an auction to raise money to save
the Chesapeake Bay. I need the
water from the bay for my farmer and other farmers need
this water also. In this
auction you will find a lot of farm goods such as hay,
tools, chickens, fruits, tractors,
cattle, meats, and corn . You might even be able to
have a door prize that will help you.
.This auction will take place on my farm. This is for a
great cause and would mean a lot to
your community, so please come!
With the money I make I will get technology, workers,
soil and a lot of other equipment
necessary to help save the bay! Antoher thing this
auction is raising money for is to help
the wildlife with a healthy clean habitat and food to
live in and this will help our tourism
industry by still having wildlife around. The Chesapeake
Bay is important to a lot of people
and it’s extremely important to keep it clean and in
good condition.
The main problems in the bay are the mix of nutrients
and soil around the land that
washes down into rivers and into the bay. Rivers and
streams connected to the bay which
are degrading.. Where fisherman fish for crabs and such
the waters are horribly low due
to the evaporation and pollution that is going on along
the shores. Possible recycling the
water might bring back the shoreline. These are jus a
few problems that need to be
resolved.
Every one in the watershed states should help not just
the farmers around those areas
,the watershed states are Maryland, Pennsylvania ,and
Virginia .Everyone has a different
place to start and help from the water to the land and
wildlife. It would be plenty help just
not littering so everyone jump in and help your
watershed.
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
|
Farmers
I'm a Farmer 8
James Wood H.S.-Fordyce
4/8/2008
With me being a framer I’m an important person. I
provide food for many people, so I
POV:
need fresh clean water. I as a framer can also help to
provide clean water. There are
things that I can do with my farm. I can change things
around so that I’m helping the water
system. Even just one farm has something to do with the
Chesapeake Bay. So I need to
change the way things are for the better of the
Chesapeake Bay. If I change then maybe I
can get other farmers to do the same and if we all put
some help out we really could
change things.
The bay being polluted affects many people (everyone).
I have a large farm with many
crops, so I need fresh clean water for the crops to
grow. I need those crops to grow so
that I can get my money for them and if I don’t have the
water then I can’t get paid. If I
have polluted water my crops won’t grow and I would have
to give my animal’s dirty water.
My animals find water to drink out of the streams and if
it’s dirty water they get sick and
I can’t use them. So then I would lose money in that
part because I would not be able to
use them or I would have to get them medicine so they
were healthy again. So as we can
tell I need to have clean water.
If their was Solution to the polluted water it would
be benefic to me and everyone else
we all need clean water. My animals would be able to
drink water from the water in the
streams that they find even the people could. My crops
would have good water so they
could grow to. My family even everyone else would. Many
people would be very happy.
As a farmer we could help by doing things different
with our farms. With watching were
our animals are going so that they are not in the steams
we could have water just for them
so that the steams stay clean. We could watch what we
put on our crops so that nothing
would be bad for the water. We could take better care of
our rivers and steams. Watch
were we put he fertilizer and keeping it under control
and watching how much we use. We
could grow things around the river and streams that we
have. Having the plant planted
around the stream would help stop or slow down what gets
in to the river. That would be a
very big thing and I think that it would really help.
For it to work and the water not be polluted we all
would have to take part. Everyone
would need to make changes in how they do things. It
would be helpful to us and the
younger generation because they would know that we are
trying to change things to help us
and if they see that then as they grow they would try
to help also. With that we could
change for the better and everyone would have what they
needed.
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
|
Farmers
the farms JW
James Wood H.S.-Fordyce
4/8/2008
I’m a farmer by the Chesapeake Bay. I provide food and
fiber, helping provide clean
water, clean air and wildlife habitat.I volunteer to
implement good conservation practices
on working lands, something that’s of critical
importance in the Chesapeake Bay’s
watershed. Theres a lot of farmers that go and try to
help. We talk about how bad the bay
is and how we can help the bay to.
The good news is that farmers in the three primary Bay
watershed states—Maryland,
Pennsylvania and Virginia—are already doing a lot to
help the Bay by rasing money at
auction , volunteer to help clean the bay once a week ,technolgy
more helpful too . We
farmers need to help the bay in different ares of the
bay ( the water and the soil around
the bay). We need money and technolgy to do anything to
the bay.
One of the Chesapeake’s biggest problems is the mix of
nutrients and soil from nearby
land that washes into rivers, and then downstream into
the Bay. Crabs and oysters catches
on the Bay are at historic lows and local streams and
rivers connected to the Bay are
degraded. The farmers helped by getting money and
volunteer at the bay every weekend,
getting new soil for the land/ bay
Farmes which cover most of the Bay landscape and are
critical to the region’s economy
contribute significantly to the problem of soil and
nutrient runoff. If we recycle water the
shore line would come back.We don’t know what to do. We
are trying to help more every
day and every year. Some farmers are raising money by
doing auction .
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
From:
fi$h hunter$ - Waterman - MdSA
Ask
4/16/2008
What exactly are your ideas of how to limit pollution?
And what do you mean by
auctioning yourself off?
|
Farmers
Bojangles
James Wood H.S.-Takarsh
4/9/2008
We farmers are very important to the environment. We
keep a majority of produce sold in
the community local. This keeps prices low and helps to
strengthen the local economy.
There are many solutions that we could come up with for
the problem in the bay. One
solution that we don't want is a fertilizer ban. This
would cause a loss of profit and
efficiency which will cause higher prices and limited
supply. Another solution we don't want
is a limit on land use. This would also cause a loss of
profit and we wouldn't be able to
produce as many crops. We also don't want irrigation
because there is a high risk of failure
when using this system.
Things that we want are unregulated fertilizer usage.
This would cause a huge rise in
production. We would also like unlimited water which
will provide a lot of healthy crops. We
would also like unlimited land usage which will maximize
productivity.
We have come to some compromises that will benefit us
and the environment. We have
come to the conclusion that we could reduce harmful
fertilizer usage which will benefit the
environment. We could figure out a more effective
irrigation system which provides less
water with greater efficiency. The last thing is that we
could control land use which gives
better environmental protection and we could still have
moderate production.
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
From:
Because we said so. - local_gov - JWHS(T)
Statement
4/11/2008
We also came up with the compromise of reducing the use
harmful fertilizers!
From:
The Pitchforks - farmer - MdSA
Ask
4/16/2008
How would using "unlimited water" be any help for the
Bay? Are there any restrictions
on water usage right now?
From:
fi$h hunter$ - Waterman - MdSA
Ask
4/16/2008
I thought that farmers did use irrigation as a way to
water their crops. And what are
your plans to get unlimited water?
From:
The Blind Anteater - CB_Ecosystem - JWHS(T)
Ask
4/17/2008
everything is good and all about the unregulated
fertilizer but do you know wat are in
the thing you use? do u kno wat happens wen it soaks
through?
|
Farmers
Funky Farmers Revised
4/10/08
Calvert H.S.-Gustin
4/9/2008
As corn farmers we are important to the produce
economy. We generate many corn
stalks each year that are distributed to different
markets throughout our area. Because
corn is a nitrogen rich food, we have to use fertilizers
in order to replenish the nitrogen in
our soil. This puts us at blame for contaminating the
Bay with the fertilizers we use.
However, we get our soil tested each planting season to
determine the proper amount of
fertilizer we need. This decreases the chance of having
an excess of fertilizer induced
run-off. Also, we use a significant amount of water
when farming. In times of drought,
we are forced to use more water to maintain a profit.
Some possible solutions for these
problems would be changing the way we farm. We could
implement farming techniques such
as crop rotation, contour farming, terracing, the use
of smaller equipment, and the
application of reduced amounts of chemicals or none at
all. On our farm, we use crop
rotation and nutrient management (nitrogen) practices to
further our conservation efforts.
We would like to see more money sent to the Sustainable
Agriculture Research and
Education program. This would help farmers around our
region maintain sustainable farms
that aren’t as harmful to the Chesapeake Bay. We need
other stake holders to keep in mind,
when thinking of solutions for the Bay, that there are
four key goals of a sustainable
agriculture:
a) maintain a productive topsoil
b) keep food safe and wholesome
c) reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and
pesticides
d) keep farms economically viable
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
Response
the farms JW - farmer - JWHS(F)
4/14/2008
how farms aren’t as harmful to the Chesapeake Bay?
Response
Funky Farmers - farmer - CHS
4/16/2008
We think you may want to look at the question you wrote
to us and rephrase it.
We were a little confused.
Response
Because we said so. - local_gov - JWHS(T)
4/25/2008
This is very well put together. But it seems like you
guys didn't find any new ideas
that could help the bay. You just said what is already
being done. I think there
are many new things that we could do to clean up the bay
and reduce pollution.
|
Farmers
Mineral County Agriculturalists (the Aggies)
Keyser H.S.-Kurtz
4/9/2008
We as farmers would like to present our side of this
great issue. We understand about
the pollution in the bay and our part in it. We
acknowledge that fertilizer runoff has been
linked to the contamination of the local watersheds and
to the creation of multiple hypoxic
dead zones. Also, we recognize that conventional tillage
methods can impact soil erosion
and feedlots create multiple hazards.
On our side of the fence we are using Best Management
Practices to decrease our piece
in this dilemma. Through studies, we are closer to
determining the appropriate time and
amount of fertilizer to place on fields. Local
agriculturalists are also setting up, on our
own land, grass and forest riparian buffers in an
attempt to get that much closer to
reducing our impact. Little can be done about existing
feedlots because of the great
expense it takes to lessen their impact. However, we are
encouraging those near us who are
building feedlot areas, to take the watershed into
account when planning their building.
It has been greatly encouraged that we fence off land
from rivers and creeks so that
cattle can no longer range on this area. Cattle tread
down the banks of such areas
creating looser sediments and destroying plants. They
also defecate in the water and as
doing such contaminate it greatly. These are all logical
reasons against allowing cattle and
animals to drink from water sources. The farmer’s
position must also be taken into account
with this supposed solution. For us it is not a simple
matter of just fencing off some land.
The farmer must provide the fencing to block off such an
area and then must also provide
alternative water sources for his animals. If a program
was set up to help with the
expenses of such practices many more farmers would be
willing to participate.
Having our water sources contaminated effects us as
well. Our crops and animals will be
harmed by the contamination of such water areas.
We hope that these steps will decrease the amount of
pollution of the bay. But it also
must be recognized that the steps we are taking are
expensive and take time to implement.
Our plan is mostly taking small steps over an extended
time to reduce drastic decrease in
our earnings. Our overall goal is to make healthy
environment changes while still making a
profit.
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
|
Farmers
mo'field fishies
Moorefield H.S.-Gillies
4/11/2008
Farmers cause a great deal of pollution in the
Chesapeake water shed. Fertilizers and
POV:
other materals wash into the bay and create an
overabundance of nutrients causing algae
to grow and lower oxygen levels in the water. Farmers
need to come up with solutions to
keep the nutrients in their fields and pastures not only
to help the bay ,but to help them
selves. If most of the nutrience washes off of your
fields it doesn't benifit you as much.
One solution is to put buffers around gardens and
fields to keep nutrients in. If you
keep nutrients if fields they will become more fertile.
However farms are not the only source of pollution.
In order to clean up the bay
everyone needs to give a little and compromise, no one
group can fix the problem we all
need to work together.
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
From:
The Pitchforks - farmer - MdSA
Ask
4/16/2008
How do you plan on raising the money to provide your
fields with buffers and other
things to prevent the pollution? How do you plan on
getting more farmers together to
help each other?
Response
mo'field fishies - farmer - MHS
4/17/2008
I think the most importiant part is allerting farmers of
the problem. To let them
know what they can do to help, you could post an artical
in the paper, call a
conference or something. There are some small things
farmers could do that
would cost little or nothing. However they will still
need money. Some sort of
fund raiser could be held or a festival to raise money.
The government could even
help financially.
|
Farmers
The Pitchforks
Mount de Sales Acad.-Sargo
4/14/2008
It is obvious that pollution is a big problem in our
Bay and we farmers seem to be
contributing to it. One of the largest sources of
pollution is from the excess nutrients that
come down from farmland into the rivers and streams that
eventually end up in the Bay.
These excess nutrients come from the fertilizer that we
use for our crops. We have found
different methods to use to help diminish this problem.
One of the methods that could be used is in the form
of an actual plant. Nitrogen-fixing
plants increase nitrogen naturally without fertilizer.
One season, a crop is planted that
converts nitrogen from the air into nitrogen in the
soil. The next season, a crop that needs
nitrogen is planted. This cycle is repeated as many
times as needed.
The excess amount of nutrients in the Bay enhances
rapid algae growth. This causes
clouding in the water, blocking out sunlight, which is
essential to photosynthesis. The
process ends up killing off all aquatic life. Obviously,
this is something we do not want for
the Bay. If we can all try to commit to these methods
of reducing pollution in the Bay, it
may someday be completely restored.
Even though this doesn’t sound hard, these methods
may produce financial problems that
could have devastating results. The cost of these
methods would be more expensive than
the average payment of the cheaper fertilizer. Most
farmers buy the cheapest fertilizer
to save money. By spending the extra money for the more
eco-friendly fertilizer, our Bay
could take one big step further to a healthy life. This
also would help cut the cost of the
many different reservation programs that spend millions
of dollars trying to preserve the
Bay. For some farmers this may cause the closing of
their farms. These methods could be
difficult to perform but the effort from every farmer
is needed.
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
From:
Bojangles - farmer - JWHS(T)
Ask
4/15/2008
where would the farmers get the extra money for the
eco-friendly fertilizer? wouldn't
they be more willing to use this if they were provided
with either the fertilizer or money
for the fertilizer?
Response
The Pitchforks - farmer - MdSA
4/16/2008
We could get money from the local government to help
provide us with this
fertilizer. Obviously, if we get the money that is
needed we could be provided
with the fertilizer that is needed.
|
Farmers
Girls Just Wanna Farm
Rappahannock H.S.-Settle
4/15/2008
Farmers POV on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
The Chesapeake Bay has a very large watershed so it is
very expensive to keep it clean and
beautiful. One program that is trying to clean the bay
estimates the total cost of cleaning
the bay is $18.7 billion. The amount that is still
needed is $12.8 billion. The money is being
paid by each state: Virginia still owes $5.1 billion of
its share.
Farmland is very valuable, selling in Virginia for
up to $5700 per acre. The farmland is
being turned into subdivisions and condos, but
environmentalists prefer it to stay as
farmland. Even though farmers contribute to water
pollution with pesticides, fertilizers,
and manure, it is still better for the economy and
environment for the land to remain for
agricultural use. When land is used for farming, you get
the pollution of pesticides and
such, but you also get a good portion of grains for the
world market. When that same land
is used for a subdivision, the fertile soil is being
wasted and pollutants that come from the
human wastes, sewage systems and central air and heating
goes unnoticed.
One reason that farmers are concerned about the amount
of water pollution is that land is
generally passed down through families, and drinking
water comes with it, if there is a well
on that land. Farmers are also concerned about the land
being fertile for future
generations. If they abuse the land while they have it,
the land will be useless for their
children (or successors).
Farmers can contribute lots of pollution to the
environment, including livestock manure,
fertilizers and pesticides, and exhaust from tractors
and other farm machines. Studies
have shown that 27% of phosphorous and 60% of the
nitrogen that ends up in the bay are
washed from cropland. 33.6% of Virginia’s agricultural
products are crops such as corn and
soybeans. Planting these crops over and over can lead
to depletion of the soils nutrients.
Good soil conservation practices include crop rotation
and no till drills, which cut down on
the loss of nutrients and soil due to erosion. Some
things that help cut down on pollution
are thick grass or tree buffers on the banks of creeks
or the river, and cutting back on
additional fertilizers and pesticides. By testing soil
samples before adding extra products,
you may be able to skip the fertilizer and in turn, skip
the extra pollution to the bay. To
help prevent pesticides and excess fertilizers from
washing off of the land and into the
tributaries, farmers should leave the residue from past
crops (such as corn stalks, husks,
and cobs) on top of the soil. This layer of organic
matter keeps nutrients and pesticides on
the field. This keeps the pollution out of the bay and
also the next year the farmer may not
have to add as much fertilizer or pesticides because
there will still be some left over from
the past crop.
66.4% of Virginia’s agricultural products are from
livestock, so pollution (in the form of
manure) is a very big threat to water pollution in our
state. Broilers (9-12 week old
chickens) are Virginias top selling livestock animal.
22% of Virginia’s agricultural gain is
from the sale of broilers. Ammonia in manure can be
toxic to aquatic life or it can boost
the growth of marine plants. Either way, it is not good
for bodies of water and the
organisms that live in them. If the manure or other
fertilizers increase the growth of
aquatic plants, in particular, algae, the excess algae
will block the sunlight, killing plants that
grow on the bottom of water ways. When the excessive
plants die, they use up too much
oxygen in the water, creating “dead zones,” places where
other organisms cannot live due
to the lack of oxygen. One way to prevent manure from
getting into the waterways is to
install waste storage systems, which many large
livestock farmers are adding to their
farms. Another method is pasture rotation, moving
livestock when the grass is grazed down
to a certain height, to prevent overgrazing and excess
runoff.
Some of the water pollution credited to the farmers
comes from the nation’s newfound
dependency for corn-based ethanol as an alternative
fuel resulting in more and more corn
being grown. The problem with this, other than rising
prices in corn and other grains, is that
corn is considered a “leaky” grain: it lets much more
nitrogen wash away from the soil and
into the nearest tributaries emptying into the bay,
polluting water and marine life. A
possible solution to this water pollution problem is
turning to ethanol that is made primarily
with prairie grasses, shrubs, and fast growing trees so
that a lot of excess nitrogen is not
ending up in the Chesapeake Bay.
The biggest problem about getting farmers to use
BMPs (Best Management Practices)
is the cost of installing and using these products. The
Virginia agricultural Cost-Share
program helps to cut down on the costs. Sometimes
farmers are paid by the amount of
acreage they own; other times they get a straight 75%.
The most money an individual can
receive for BMPs is $50,000. Another method used is
encouraging farmers to purchase
conservation equipment such as sprayers for pesticides
and fertilizers, and manure
applicators. When they do so, they can receive up to
$3,750.
Farmers and everybody else can do their part in
keeping the bay clean if they want to.
We need to keep the bay clean so there will be clean
water for many more generations to
come.
For more info on pollution contributed by farmers:
http://www.groundwater.org/gi/sourcesofgwcontam.html
For more info on pesticide pollution: http://www.epa.gov/watertrain/agmodule/
For more info on livestock pollution:
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Education/sustainable_water/sustainable_water_henderson/ta
bid/18957/Default.aspx
http://www.chesapeakebay.net/news_grazingprogram.aspx
For more info on corn based ethanol: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2007/08/24/AR2007082401427.html
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/311225_ethanol12.html
For more info on farmers stats: http://stuffaboutstates.com/virginia/agriculture.htm
For more info on BMPs: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/soil_&_water/costshar.shtml
For more info on the costs of a clean bay: http://www.chesbay.state.va.us/Publications/C2Kfunding.pdf
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
|
Farmers
Cost Incentives
Rappahannock H.S.-Settle
4/15/2008
While driving in the famous Northern Neck of
Virginia, one will encounter many
beautiful farms that have been around since the dawn of
America. The luscious green
fields cover the sides of the road on both sides, but
that is the furthest extent to what we
as bystanders see. We do not see the thousands of pounds
of fertilizer or the hundreds of
gallons of herbicides and pesticides that it takes to
achieve such a crop as this. The
effects of these products do not just have a good effect
on the world by producing very
high yields of grain, but they have many negative
effects as well, including many on our
local watershed, the Chesapeake Bay.
When a farmer places five hundred pounds of
10-10-10 fertilizer per acre on his bare
field, 20% is lost by rainwater runoff. The loss of
fertilizer not only affects the bank
account of the farmer, but the entire ecosystem of the
nearest watershed. When the
fertilizer enters the water in the spring of the year,
the newly blooming algae suddenly
finds a tremendous amount of nutrients, and hits a
massive growth spurt. When this
happens, the cloud of algae block out the much-needed
sunlight required by the many sub
aquatic grasses. When the sunlight cannot reach the
grasses, they die, and the natural
purifiers cease existence. After the grasses cease
functions, the impurities can wreak
havoc on the bay area.
After the grasses die and the pollutants in the
water start to dominate, we now reach a
pivotal point in a marine community. When the small
animals that once fed on the
underwater grass deplete the left over supply, they also
perish. In a short time, the result
has worked its way up the food chain, and is now
endangering the whole environment. Now,
we as neighbors to the bay have to make changes in our
everyday life to help supplement
what is already lost, and prevent further damage. The
major question is brought to the
table, how do we do it?
Cost effectiveness is a major issue with farmers of
this era. The price of fertilizer is
growing, and farmers are looking for an alternative to
the high prices they have to pay.
Here is an idea that will benefit us both. Commercial
grain farmers on average pick up
about 50-75 acres of land a year. When the farmer picks
up a new tract of land, place it
in a cover crop to supplement the use of fertilizer.
True, it will have to lie dormant a year
for the cover crop to take hold, but it will save a
farmer $1,831.25 per fifty acre field,
versus applying 300 pounds of 10-10-10 per acre reaching
a grand total of $2643.75.
Pesticides and herbicides play a vital role also in
harming the bay. The pesticides reach
the mud on the bottom and lie dormant until activated by
a current, a fish stirring in the
mud, building a pier. If ingesting enough, the fish
will die, and if consumed by a larger
being, will make its way up the food chain. If a farmer
plants a buffer along field edges
that do not already have a natural wood line, it will
greatly reduce the runoff that carries
these harmful chemicals into the watershed. Although not
always cost effective to the
farmer some aid may be provided for land that he one day
might want to pass to his son.
This process won’t completely solve the problem, but
will do its share to help in the valiant
effort to save the bay.
No matter how hard we as society try, we will
always produce pollutants. Substances
that are harmful to the environment may be vital to us
as human beings, and we can’t fully
dispose of their uses. The only thing we can do is give
a good effort to controlling the use
of them and how much of them are used. Farmers,
homeowners, and even motor vehicle
owners have to realize that we only have one bay, and
when its gone, its too late to take
action, so now is the time.
http://www.envirowise.gov.uk/166749#n1
http://protectingwater.com/agriculture.html
http://www.cbf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=resources_facts_water_pollution
http://papillioncreek.org/best_management.html
http://www.southernstates.com/
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Farmers
Milky & Manure
Rappahannock H.S.-Settle
4/16/2008
Over the years, farmers have always struggled to
be sure that the crops generate a POV:
profit income. The use of fertilizer was a big and
great discovery; the earliest method was
manure. Many argue now that manure is not good for the
environment. Today it is obvious
that it would not be safe for us to be drinking water
with manure bacteria in it. Are the
methods used today for disposing of manure really
harmful?
The farmers are always hit hard. It is hard enough
for farmers to make a living as it is.
Then they have to be regulated. These regulations
cost a significant amount. According
to cbf.com, 90% of all farm families’ income is from
off-farm work. This is due to the
increasing regulations and rules they must follow that
are many times more expensive than
the way they were running their farms.
Land costs are on the rise, equipment prices are
rising, and the fuel used to power those
machines and the ones used to transport the products to
market are on a steady increase.
Being a farmer isn’t cheap, and if you are a new
farmer it is even harder to get started.
Many people are buying perfectly good farmland to put
buildings up when there are already
buildings that aren’t being used. Farmers usually
already have house payments, car
payments, equipment payments, and the land they are
using may be rented. Dairy farmers
have expensive needs just as a grain farmer would have
and in addition the cost of the
dairy cows.
Manure is a problem for dairy farmers also. Many
suggest that farmers gather the
manure in a containment lagoon and dispose of it
properly. A dairy cow produces 80
pounds of manure per 1,000 lbs. of body weight. Dairy
cows are usually between 1,000
and 2,000 lbs. How is a farmer supposed to gather all
of this manure and dispose of it at
a dumping site? An effective method of controlling this
manure is to keep the cows moving
between pastures. Rotating the cattle makes it easier
to control what area the manure is
in. Dairy farmers have had to concrete their milking
stalls so the waste is easier to
manage. The farmers concrete the stalls and when it is
time to clean the stalls, they spray
them with a water hose. The water then runs into a
little pool and into a lagoon. The water
will eventually end up in a holding tank and the water
will be cleaned and used again. Many
farms only use this water to clean the stalls.
Most farmers also will gather all the manure
possible and eventually use it for
fertilizers for crops or to help the pastures produce
more grass for the cows to consume.
Much of the manure that the cow produces is left where
it is grazing. Farmers must scan
the pastures to find manure and collect it. At the same
time the cows are producing more
manure for the farmer to collect. This is a
never-ending ineffective method. This would
be done all day and never be finished.
Many farmers live near a body of water. The cows
like to wade in the water and drink
from it. This is dangerous because the cows do not pay
attention to where they drop their
manure. The manure goes into the water and eventually
will go into someone’s drinking
supply and will fertilize the stream causing
eutrophication. Keeping the cows from wading
in the waters, they are saving the banks of the rivers
from collapsing as well as saving the
water from being polluted. The farmers must find
another method of providing the cows
with drinking water. This is also an arduous task for
farmers.
“Cost sharing or matching means that portion of
project or program costs not borne by
the federal government,” is the definition given by the
Office for sponsored programs.
Many of the financial assistance programs for farmers
have one main qualification: you
must use BMP’s (Best Management Practices). Some may
have more or less restrictions on
who can apply. The Department of Agriculture and Risk
Management Agency help fund a
cost share only open to dairy farmers. This cost share
helps to pay for broker’s fees and
“purchase only ‘put’ options on milk features
contracts.”
http://www.watersheds.org/farm/lawson.htm
http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.td?msg-id=006F+B
http://web.mit.edu/osp/www/Basics/basic_costshare_definintion.htm
http://www.educationmoney.com/prgm_10.454_Farm.html
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Farmers
The Lone Ranger
Rappahannock H.S.-Settle
4/16/2008
The Chesapeake Bay watershed is 64,000 square miles
into six states. The bay over POV:
time has been put into submission and held there waiting
for it to crumble. All of these
pressures include the cars we drive to the fertilizers
we place on our farmland and yards.
All of these factors and thing we as humans do are
pollutants that are washed back into
the bay. These pollutants are killing animals and plants
causing major problems with water
quality.
The big question is “what is a watershed?” A
watershed is an area of land that drains
into a particular river, lake, bay, or other body of
water. There are over 100,000 streams
and rivers called tributaries that drain rain water and
used water back into the bay.
Everyone in this watershed can affect it by doing normal
habits such as driving or washing
their car spraying there garden with chemicals to help
it grow.
Farmland can be a big problem. Excess nitrates from
fertilizers causing birth defects
and depleting the oxygen in rivers and streams affecting
the bay itself. Farmland runoff
carries away fertilizers, manure, and toxins from farm
equipment. Each of these is
ingredients to cook up a big pot of disaster. Farms are
one of the major parts of our world
that helps feed the people and animals in America.
America’s farms supply us with grains,
eggs, milk, meat, and other foods. These foods are
essential but need fertilizers,
pesticides, and tilled soil to be produced. If farmers
keep their growth process and don’t
try to help change or improve there practices the way
will one day crash and not support us
human like we wish.
So what should we do about all of these problems?
Adhere to BMPs which will help
protect and reduce the pollution and runoff problems.
Some basic practices are use to
organic fertilizers that release the nutrients more
slowly, maintain farm equipment for
minor leaks, keep barn lots and feeding areas clean.
Farm runoff can be reduced by
planting buffers to slow the runoff. These basic
practices have helped reduce the nutrients
such as nitrogen by 48 percent, phosphorous by 51
percent, and the reduction of sediment
loss by 48 percent. Top soil is a nonrenewable
resource.
Throughout the planning of helping protect and
clean our Chesapeake watershed there
have been many best management practices that have been
put into place. Every little thing
we do can help or hurt the one thing that affects us the
most our water supply: Lets’
protect our watershed; it best for the future.
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Farmers
corn not ethanol
Rappahannock H.S.-Settle
4/16/2008
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the
United States. The Chesapeake Bay is POV:
12,000 years old. It covers 64,299 square miles and part
of six states (New York,
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West
Virginia). In all, the Chesapeake Bay
foundation estimates it will cost $8.5billion to achieve
the goal set for 2010.Others say the
cost could be as high as 20 billion.
We, as farmers try to keep our water on its best
condition, so our crops can grow
healthy. Although it may costs a lot of money but it’s
worth it. If we do put a lot of money
on trying to keep the water clean we will be able to
grow healthy crops for our community.
Because of the quality of the water, our crops can grow
and produce more so we can still
sell our crops and keep the water clean. If we have
polluted water and we do not do
anything about it that water may turn our crops into an
unsanitary food source. We
farmers understand that we take a big percentage on the
pollution.
We farmers understand that we cause a big
percentage on the pollution. We actually
cause the 40% of the pollution of the Chesapeake Bay.
Any time farmers pollute the water
it is because of not being careful. One way to reduce
the pollution is to reduce the use of
fertilizer. Fertilizers and other substances kill
aquatic life, thus affecting humans to.
Fertilizers make the Death Zone bigger, increasing the
amount of algae. The Death Zone is
where the amount of oxygen presence cannot sustain life.
It
Stretches for hundreds of miles in the summer when
fertilizers cause algae to grow.
Decomposing of dead algae removes oxygen from the
water. Our animals can also
contaminate the water by their waste. We can use the
waste as fertilizer for our crops a
and in that way we don’t have to use commercial
fertilizer thus decreasing the problem on
pollution, by nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other
nutrients needed for plant growth.
By using our animal waste we won’t be putting money into
commercial fertilizer.
If the animals we have in our farms drink the
contaminated water, they may become
sick thus sickening the consumers that buy our
livestock. By this we would loose a
substantial income in our livestock. By fencing we can
keep our animals out of the streams.
The most pollution comes from fertilizer from
gardeners that do not take precaution
when using fertilizers. Sometimes people do that just
because they want to finish their job
fast. They don’t think of the consequences and the
effects the fertilizers are going to have
on the future. We need to take actions to enforce laws
already on the books to punish
those who contaminate our Bay.
The environmental defense fund recommends many ways
to clean up the Chesapeake
Bay: by targeting funds and giving attention to
conservation practices that have proven
most cost-effective in reducing farm runoff; by making
traditional conservation
practices—such as nutrient management system and
practices—that will help both the Bay
and the farmers’ bottom lines; by increasing research
and education to promote widespread
adoption of today‘s innovations and to develop
tomorrow’s rewards; by increasing resource
for technical assistance and financial rewards for
farmers who produce clean water and
other environmental benefits; by improving the ability
to track conservation funding and verify which practices
are actually implemented; and determining the nutrient
and sediment load reductions the practices generate.
http://www.engr.uga.edu/service/extension/publications/c827-cd.html
http://www.cbf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=exp_sub_state_agriculture
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From:
Girls Just Wanna Farm - farmer - RHS
Ask
4/17/2008
I just noticed that you mentioned substituting animal
manure for commercial fertilizer
would cut down on pollution to the bay. Both of these
fertilizers will add nitrogen and
phosphorous to the bay if we are not careful. We just
need to make sure that no
fertilizer is getting to the bay, not just commercial
fertilizer.
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