Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics Ag Resource Management: Partnering with Ag Retailers to Make a Difference Thomas Green, Ph.D., CCA, TSP, Mark Adelsperger, Rebecca Ressl, M.S. 07/24/ , 2009 US EPA Sustained Excellence in IPM Award 2008, 2005, 2004 National Champion, US EPA Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program 2005 Children’s Environmental Health Recognition Award, US EPA Office of Children’s Health Protection

Harnessing marketplace power to improve health, environment and economics Agriculture Check Strip BMP Strips Communities Eighth International IPM Symposium March 2015, Salt Lake City

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6 Western Lake Erie photo credit, John Crumrine

Initial Concept Disproportionality: 20% of farmers/farms/acres account for 80% of water quality impacts (Nowak et al. 2006). Not bad actors. Inappropriate behaviors. Ag retailers can help identify and prevent impacts from these acres by applying profitable products and services. Funded by Great Lakes Protection Fund, pilot in Sandusky. Heidelberg, Sandusky River Watershed Coalition, American Farmland Trust (AFT), Agren, International Plant Nutrition Institute, IPM Institute. 7 Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 7

Milestones Informational sessions with ag retailers and key farmers managing 29,250 acres. Cover crops an easy sell. Providing info to ag retailers on cover crops, other opportunities. Pilot with 23 farmers representing 35,900 acres. Tracking changes in practices. Drafted language for Ag Retailers Association to improve opportunities for retailers in the Farm Bill. Partnership for Ag Resource Management website. Contacts with Keep it for the Crop (IL) and Agriculture Clean Water Alliance (IA). 8 Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 8

Ag Retailers Motivated Listening sessions, Fall 2010, farmers, retailers, conservation professionals, let by AFT, Dave Baker intro. P losses widespread; not just 20% of acres. Ag retailers aware of conditions on farms, very interested in contributing to solutions. Associated with rotational no-till, fall application of P, single application for multiple crops in the rotation. Uncertainty re impacts of specific practices. Lack of data on product/service implementation. Non-operator landowners a key influence on practices, largely out of the loop on problem/solutions. 9 Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 9

Non-operator landowners Outreach to 4300 landowners, with Agren, IPNI, SWRC, funded by OH NRCS % of cropland in SRW is leased by non-operators. 10 Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics Postcard, 4316 mailed 2. Reply card, 2x, 439 responses 3. Tip sheet, 4316 mailed 4. Survey, 4316 mailed, 556 responses 5. Coalition newsletter, Cover crop postcard, 4316; tip sheet, SWCD contacts, EQIP postcard, 4316; tip sheet, 323

Non-operator landowners -10% response rate to cards (439), 13% to survey. 323 added to SRWC mailing list. -66% have used SWCD, 53% FSA, 29% OSU, 28% renter, 25% DNR, 22% ODA, 18% NRCS (n=556) -70% prefer direct mail contact, 29% newspaper, 24% magazine, 19% , 1% phone. -50% want more info on SWCD services, 34% SRWC activities. -27% want info cost share, 27% on set aside, 24% on free conservation planning guidance. -41% want info on cover crops, 35% waterway repair, 34% tile repair, 29% soil testing, 28% application timing, 21% variable rate, 18% conservation tillage, 10% 4R Nutrient Stewardship Framework. 11 Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 11

Products and services Identified products and services from John Crumrine’s toolbox. Researched impacts on P loss. Priority opportunities: Soil testingGrid samplingVariable rate P application Apply for following crop onlyApply in rooting zone Cover crops Other BMPs ag retailers can do relatively inexpensively: Notify after P application so farmers can cover Comply with 590 setbacksCalibrate equipment annually Don’t apply to frozen ground or in advance of rainfall Notify farmers of issues they may be unaware of: tile blowoutsgullies filter strips and waterways in need of repair 12 Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 12

Products/services with more research needed: Liquid P applicationsFoliar P applications Controlled release P formulationsT-max, Avail Services with revenue potential pending research, improvements in programs and policy: Nutrient Management Conservation Activity Plans EQIP 590 Nutrient Management Plans Services requiring additional revenue: Shift P application timing closer to crop need Stratified soil sampling 13 Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 13

Retailer survey 14 Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 14 Survey data Projections based on survey data

Modeling w/Rem, Heidelberg SWAT, APEX: Identify priority sub-watersheds 15 Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 15 Total P, five-year avg. 370 HRU resolution DRP, five-year avg. 370 HRU resolution DRP, five-year avg HRU resolution

Confesor – Ressl Calculator 16 Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 16

Watershed-Level Projections 17 Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 17

4350-HRU Level 18 Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 18

Next Steps -Complete, validate calculator and retailer business plan. -Set acre goals for products/services with each retailer; project cost, revenue, reduction in losses. -Develop strategies, tactics to achieve goals. -Track, aggregate, report progress. -Update retailer survey for 2012 results, 2013 intentions. -Create agronomist-friendly version and tip card: What does a critical farm look like? What does a critical field look like? 19 Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 19

Next Steps (continued) -Complete remaining funded landowner campaign steps. -Complete sample NM CAP including time/cost estimates. -Webinar for watershed program leaders. 20 Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 20

Pending Grant Proposals 21 Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 21 -NRCS CIG: Enhancement of Nutrient Tracking Tool with Verification of Cover Crop Data. -National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: Increased EQIP Participation in the Western Lake Erie Basin. Awarded 7/22/13.

Bibliography: Model projections 22 Harnessing Marketplace Power to Improve Health, Environment and Economics 22 1 Jokela and Casler Zhu et al Nutrient Tracking Tool: Carroll County, MD 4 Nutrient Tracking Tool: Carroll County, MD 5 Devlin et al Gitau et al Devlin et al Nutrient Tracking Tool: Carroll County, MD 9 Devlin et al No effectiveness data