The results came from a survey the Farm Bureau mailed to the state's 15,232 farmers. Together, they represent a quarter of the state's 2.2 million acres of farm land. Nonetheless, the Farm Bureau said the data appeared to be statistically valid as survey results in areas for which data is available corresponds closely. And with respect to many voluntary practices, this is the best data that's available now. The survey found that farmers routinely use soil testing on 60 percent of all cropland.
Soil tests help farmers optimize their use of fertilizer and reduce the potential for runoff.
Half said their fertilizer use had remained the same, and 4 percent said it had increased. Only 1 percent said their pesticide use had increased. The farmers responding to the survey, who collectively manage 511,485 acres of farmland, reported putting 27 percent of their land to some kind of conservation use. The survey was conducted by the Farm Bureau with technical and financial support from the Maryland Department of Agriculture, the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board, and the Chesapeake Bay Trust. The survey was developed with input from farmers, agricultural agencies, and environmental groups.