1. Water Quality Programs – OAWP’s Role
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS)
Office of Agricultural Water Policy

2. Office of Agricultural Water Policy
Develops/Implements Best Management Practices (BMPs)
Economically and technically feasible
Address both water quality and water conservation
Research conducted to validate effectiveness
Some BMPs eligible for cost share.
Coordinates with WMDs on Water Supply Planning
Provides data and modeling input for water demand projections
Serves on regional water planning committees
Coordinates with FDEP on BMAPs, TMDLs
Reviews data on agricultural land use
Reviews nutrient load allocations
Works with FDEP to achieve BMAP goals
Work cooperatively with:
Agricultural producers and industry groups
FDEP
SUS
Five WMDS
Other stakeholders
Established in 1995
Lead for water quantity and water quality issues involving agriculture
50 FTES

3. Water Quality Protection
(7) (c) 2. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services may develop and adopt by rule pursuant to ss (1) and suitable interim measures, best management practices, or other measures necessary to achieve the level of pollution reduction established by the department for agricultural pollutant sources in allocations developed pursuant to subsection (6) and this subsection or for programs implemented pursuant to paragraph (12)(b).
These practices and measures may be implemented by those parties responsible for agricultural pollutant sources and the department, the water management districts, and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services shall assist with implementation.
In the process of developing and adopting rules for interim measures, best management practices, or other measures, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services shall consult with the department, the Department of Health, the water management districts, representatives from affected farming groups, and environmental group representatives.
Such rules must also incorporate provisions for a notice of intent to implement the practices and a system to assure the implementation of the practices, including site inspection and recordkeeping requirements.
-Are there other objectives that should be considered during the development of the revised IA Program?

4. Agricultural BMP Overview
Practical measures that use water more efficiently and reduce potential effects of fertilizers, pesticides, and animal waste on water resources; must be economically and technically feasible for producers to implement
BMPs developed in collaboration with agricultural industry, agencies, non-governmental organizations, and others; verified effective by DEP; adopted by rule; subject to periodic review and update
Supported by cost-share programs from FDACS and others
Implementation secures a presumption of compliance with state water quality standards

5. Statewide BMP Enrollment
9 BMP Manuals
Over 10,00 ag enrollments covering over 50% of ag land
40,000+ Discrete Parcels

6. Best Management Practices Manuals
Adoption
Rule Reference
Next Review
Cow/Calf UNDER REVIEW
2009
5M-11
2016
Sod UNDER REVIEW
2008
5M-9
Specialty Fruit & Nut
2011
5M-13
2017
Equine
2012
5M-14
Citrus
2013
5M-16
2018
Nursery
2014
5M-6
Vegetable & Agronomic Crops
2015
5M-8
2020
Dairies
5M-17
2021
Poultry
5M-19
Small Farms IN DEVELOPMENT

7. BMP Program Funding Levels
Cost-Share
Research
$ (millions)
Contracts
$(millions) FY
$16.5 19
$1.4 17 FY
$21.8 21
$1.9 FY
 $28.0
23 
 $1.5 14 FY
$14.0 23
$2.5
TBD

8. BMPs and BMAPs Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP)
Restoration plan to meet water-quality goal.
26 adopted statewide.
DEP adopts by Secretarial Order
Establishes requirement to implement BMPs or demonstrate compliance through monitoring

9. Agriculture’s Role in Water Quality Protection
Florida Legislature provided for agricultural operations to implement BMPs as preferred means to help meet TMDLs and protect water quality.
Operations within adopted BMAP areas and/or Northern Everglades have two options:
Enroll in and implement Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) best management practices (BMPs).
Follow a Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)- or water management district approved water quality monitoring plan at operator’s own expense.

10. Agriculture’s Role in Water Quality Protection
Agricultural producers are only obligated to implement existing BMPs adopted by FDACS in rule
Achievement of further reductions must be either –
Through projects/iniatitives identified in the BMAP
These will have to be funded
For ag producers are not mandatory
Adoption of revised BMPs adopted by rule by FDACS

11. BMAP Goals Year-5 Goals 30% Reductions Year-10 Goals 80% Reductions
Year 20 —TMDL Achievement
100% BMP enrollment and implementation
Projects to address anticipated gap to meet TMDL
Projects to address remaining gap to meet TMDL

12. Reduction in N Input Soil Moisture Probes 694 $3,500 26 1,246,318
Potential Units
Cost per Unit
Potential N Reduction per Unit (lbs)
Total Reduction in N (lbs)
Total Cost
Cost per Pound of N Reduction
Reduction in N Input
Soil Moisture Probes
694
$3,500 26
1,246,318
$2,427,250
$1.95
Description:
number of probes
$/probe system
lbs/acre
lbs
Deployment, training, technical support, and use of soil moisture probes to manage irrigation sytems.
Assumptions:
20%
Reduction in N input
Reduction in N inputs presumed from improvements in use efficency and management of inputs to row crops due to effective and efficient use of soil moisture probes. Cost includes probes, computer peripherals, and minimum three years of technical support. The number of probe installations is approximately 50% of the estimated number of irrigation systems in the Suwannee BMAP area, excluding most nurseries and ornamentals.

13. Reduction in N Load Precision Irrigation 88,940 $446 2 162,512
Potential Units
Cost per Unit
Potential N Reduction per Unit (lbs)
Total Reduction in N (lbs)
Total Cost
Cost per Pound of N Reduction
Reduction in N Load
Precision Irrigation
88,940
$446 2
162,512
$39,667,270
$244.09
Description:
acres
$/acre
lbs/acre
lbs
Deployment of equipment, procedures, and training to improve location, volume, and timing of irrigation to match crop needs more precisely.
Assumptions:
10%
Reduction in N load
Cost is one-time capital expenditure. Reduction presumes that precision management of irrigation will reduce overwatering that can flush nutrients past the root zone. All irrigation systems considered in this calculation are existing lateral move and center pivot systems being retrofitted with a Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI) state of the art system, and traveling gun systems being replaced with lateral move or center pivot VRI systems; VRI system paid up front with no loans or cost share, and are the highest of the range of costs provided by vendors. Useful life of VRI system likely beyond 5 years, would continue to accrue benefits for 10 to 15 years.

14. Reduction in N Input Cover Crops 87,208 $45 45 3,924,374 $3,924,374.43
Potential Units
Cost per Unit
Potential N Reduction per Unit (lbs)
Total Reduction in N (lbs)
Total Cost
Cost per Pound of N Reduction
Reduction in N Input
Cover Crops
87,208
$45 45
3,924,374
$3,924,374.43
$1.00
Description:
acres
$/acre
lbs/acre
lbs
Planting of cover crops in between production cycles to increase soil organic content, improve nutrient retention, and reduce erosion.
Assumptions:
Used acreages for vegetable and agronomic crops for all cropping systems, regardless of irrigation type. Per USDA-ARS, range of cover crop seed prices are $30.00 to $77.40 per acre. Average price for rye, ryegrass and vetch was $45.00 per acre. Per Wagger and Mengel, 1988, these three cover crop treatments can assimilate between 10 to 90 lbs/acre, average 45 lbs/acre of residual N.

15. Irma Response
Evaluating impacts on current cost share agreement (CSA) projects – repairs, modifications
Determining which CSAs may be put on hold or discontinued
Determining extent to which water control and conservation structures have been damaged
Developing procedure for assisting with FSA Emergency Conservation Program – restoring conservation structures (e.g. risers,culverts).

16. Thank You!