# Agricultur e and w ate r quality

Michael Plumer

Consult an t/F armer

Conserv ation Agriculture 

### Michael Plumer

Consult an t/F armer

Conserv ation Agriculture

# Wa te r Quality Issues

• Agricultur e and sus ta inability

• Sedimen t

• Nutrien ts

– Nitr ogen

– Phosphorus



## • Lack of w ate r quality re sear ch on f arm

• Re gulations without basis or applied re sear ch

• Need t o t ar get priority w ate rs heds

• co nser vat ion pr ogr ams**11 8.0**  **152.8**

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 17019701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010bushelsperacre **U.S. Corn**  **Yi elds** 

Source: NASS, USDA.NASS data

- Illinois

0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00 1.20 1.40 1.60 1.80

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010PoundsofCommercialFertilizerApplied

Crop Y ear Po unds of Commer cial Fertiliz er Applied

per Bushel of Corn Pr oduced

#P/Bu.

#K/Bu.

#N/Bu. 

### St atus of Illinois0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.51970's1980's1990's2000-03and20052010lbs.Nperbushelproduced **Nitr ogen**  **Use per Bushel of Corn Pr**  **oduced**

Source: Computed by The Fertilizer Institute from data reported by USDA. **- 33%** 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.81970's1980's1990's2000-03and20052010lbs.P2O5perbushelproduced **Phosphate Use per**  **Bushel of Corn Pr oduced** 

Source: Computed by The Fertilizer Institute from data reported by USDA. **- 55%** 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.81970's1980's1990's2000-03and20052010lbs.K2Operbushelproduced **Potash Use per**  **Bushel of Corn Pr oduced** 

Source: Computed by The Fertilizer Institute from data reported by USDA. **- 56%** 

# Nitr og en Issues

• Illinois 37% f all applied anh yd ro us ammonia

– Time sa ving

– Risk r eduction to f armer

– Issue with nitr ogen inhibitor and soil t emper atur e

– Lar ge cos t t o Illinois indus try infr as tructur e ($2

Billion)



## • Spring and sidedr ess

- we ather issues

– Anh yd ro us ammonia or liquid.. Some dry



## • I use all sidedr ess liquid 32% N

# Issues of Spring Nitr og en

• Mor e e xpensiv e

– Spring cos t $100+/t on mor e than f all

– Anh yd ro us $.52/pound N

– Liquid 32% $.68/pound N



## • High risk t o g et all the acr es cover ed

• 4 w et springs dela ye d plan ting and application

– Dela ys ma y r equir e liquid or dry nitr ogen

application

– Dela ys r educe corn yields

# Wha t I am doing

• Use of Bes t Management Pr actices

– Wa te rw ay s

– Buf fe r s trips

– Nutrien t managemen t plans

— zo ne sample

– Sidedr ess nitr ogen

– 100% no

- till since 1980

– Cov er cr ops

– We tland/wildlif e

– Riparian ar ea

# How oper at ion is af fe ct ed by

co nser va tion pr actices

• Incr eased c os t/ incr eased risk

– Higher lev el of managemen t and risk

– Incr eased equipmen t c os ts

- plan te rs , spr aye rs

, main te nance equipmen t

– Fe rtiliz er applic ation

– time, place, r ate and sour ce

• Incr eased risk of timely applic ation by specializ ed

equipmen t in w et spring c onditions

– Incr eased land c os t due to acr es idled

– Incr eased pr actice main te nance

– time and equipmen t

– Mor e landlor d issues/ poten tial land loss

– Lack of usable c onser vat ion pr ogr ams

# Issues

• Huge diff er ences in Conserv at ion pr ogr am rules

and adminis tr at ion s tate to state

• Need f or conser va tion pr ogr ams and s ta ndar ds

that use sound agr onomic principles

• Access to specializ ed equipmen t

– cos t or r enta l

– Nitr ogen application

– Plan ting

– Cover cr op

-- no

- till drills



### • Kn owledge of managemen t needed

## Pr **actical appr oach t**  **o conser vat**  **ion**

**which leads t o be**  **tte r w**  **ate r quality** 

• Es ta blish policies that:

– Pr ovides pr actical incen tiv es f or mor e

volunt ary c onserv ation adoption

– Accur ate ly **measur e**  the impact of

co nser vat ion pr actices on w ate r quality

– Pr ovide r egulat ory r elief t o pr oducer s who

ar e activ ely w orking t ow ar d a r eduction in

n itr ogen, phosphorus and sedimen t loads

# Illinois Wa te r Quality Initia tiv e

• Agricultur e gr oups and f armer s dev eloped

wate r quality pr ogr am

• Pr ovides education and re sear ch f or volunt ary

adoption

• Funded by f armer s and ag indus try

• Ta rg et ed s tate wide and priority w ate rs heds

## • Ed ucation pr ogr am t o r educe nutrien t losses

• Pr ovide education pr ogr ams t o f armer s,

supplier s, yo uth and c ommunities

• Dedicat e r esour ces to nutrien t re sear ch and

Bes t Management Pr actices v alidation

– Critical to developing pr actices t o r educe nutrien t

losses



## • To ta lly funded by f armer s and indus try

# schedule

• 2011

– Develop self funding pr ogr am fo r r esear ch and

education

--- SB2010

• Fo rms the Nutrien t Resear ch and E ducation Council to

dev elop the education and r esear ch pr ogr am

• Re places the F ertiliz er R esear ch and E ducation Council

• Implemen t and adminis te r funds, pr ojects and

pr ogr ams



## • Bill and Pr ogr am block ed by Illinois Legislatur e

# SB 2010 Support er s

**Illinois En vir**  **onmental Pr**  **ot ection**  **Ag ency** 

**Illinois Chapt er**  **of Sierr a**  **Club**

**En vir**  **onmental La**  **w P olicy**  **Center**

**Illinois Departmen t**  **of Agricultur e** 

**Illinois Fe**  **rtiliz er**  **& Chemical Associa**  **tion**

**Illinois F arm Bur**  **eau**

**Illinois Corn Gr**  **ower s**  **Associa tion** 

**Illinois Soybean Associa**  **tion**

**Illinois Seed Tr**  **ade Associa**  **tion**

**Illinois Associa tion**  **of Dr ainag**  **e Dis**  **tricts**

**Gr ain**  **& F eed Associa**  **tion of Illinois** 

# Ques tions? Fa rmer s ar e concerned about

wate r quality fo r the futur e