Wednesday June 22 Ag News

NDA ANNOUNCES NEW TESTING SERVICE, LOCATIONS FOR PESTICIDE EXAMS

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) is pleased to announce a new computer-based testing service for people taking pesticide applicator exams in order to receive their licenses. NDA has signed a contract with a national testing company to offer pesticide applicator exams at nine different testing sites throughout Nebraska. NDA will still offer pesticide applicator testing in person, but the addition of these computer-based testing sites will give people more options when it comes to taking their exams.

“We want to make it easier for pesticide operators to get their application licenses,” said NDA Director Greg Ibach. “Additional testing sites improve our current licensing process, make government more customer-friendly and benefit the people we serve.” 

NDA’s contract with the Pearson VUE company lets pesticide applicators take exams at various test centers located throughout the state. The testing centers are located in Alliance, Columbus, Grand Island, Lincoln, McCook, Norfolk, North Platte, Omaha and Scottsbluff.

Nebraskans who apply restricted-use pesticides are required to get pesticide applicator licenses. Persons who make structural and lawn care applications to the property of others for hire are also required to be licensed regardless of the type of pesticide they are using.

Currently, Pearson VUE is offering seven pesticide applicator exams: General Standards, Agricultural Plant Pest Control, Ornamental & Turf Pest Control, Right-of-Way Pest Control, Structural/Health-related Pest Control, Wood Destroying Organisms, and Aerial Pest Control. Each exam costs $55, payable to Pearson VUE.

Exams will be proctored on computers at each test site, and the content is identical to the paper exams currently proctored by NDA staff.  People can register for their exams at www.pearsonvue.com/ne/agriculture, and must do so at least 24 hours in advance.

For questions concerning pesticide applicator licensing, please contact the Nebraska Department of Agriculture at 402-471-2351.  For questions concerning Pearson VUE testing, go to http://www.pearsonVUE.com/ne/agriculture/contact/.



FIELD DAY TO FOCUS ON MANAGING HERBICIDE-RESISTANT PALMER AMARANTH

    Growers, crop consultants and educators interested in management of herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth are encouraged to attend a Nebraska Extension field day, supported by the Nebraska Corn Board, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. July 12 near Shickley.

    Palmer amaranth is a member of the pigweed family and is one of the most troublesome weeds in seed cornfields because of its resistance to atrazine and HPPD inhibitors. Greenhouse dose-response studies have confirmed resistance when atrazine and HPPD inhibitors were applied post-emergence. The weed is of particular concern in south-central Nebraska because of its proximity to intense seed corn production, which is heavily reliant on these herbicides.

    At the field day, experiments will demonstrate how to control Palmer amaranth in field and seed corn production fields in Nebraska. Keynote speaker Jason Norsworthy, professor and endowed chair of weed science at the University of Arkansas, will share his experiences for management of glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth.

    Three Certified Crop Adviser credits will be available. There is no cost to attend. However, pre-registration is required before 3 p.m. July 11. To register, visit http://agronomy.unl.edu/weedresistmgt.

    Directions to the field day: From Geneva, go south on Highway 81 for seven miles. Turn west onto Highway 74 and drive 12 miles. Turn north on Road 2 and drive three miles. Turn west on Road Q and drive 0.1 mile. The farm field is on the north side of Road Q.

    For more information, contact Amit Jhala at 402-472-1534 or amit.jhala@unl.edu.



Women’s Learning Circle Presents: Small Livestock and Meat Production

The Center for Rural Affairs will host the third in its series of learning circles of women farmers and landowners in eastern Nebraska to provide sustainable farming and conservation education and outreach. Small Livestock and Meat Production will be held at Davey Road Ranch and Branched Oak North Farm, near Raymond, Neb., on July 9, 2016.

The circles are co-led by agricultural professionals at the Center for Rural Affairs and farmer-leaders. They provide education on successful and sustainable production in a changing climate.

"We encourage any woman who is interested in farming or already farming to participate,” commented Sandra Renner with the Center for Rural Affairs. “Our first two circles have been well attended and look forward to gathering together again to learn more from one another."

Renner added, “Whether beginning or established farmers, experienced landowners or new to management, we have seen that women on farms largely share a commitment to environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Most raise a combination of specialty crops and small livestock, often with organic practices.”

According to the Center for Rural Affairs, learning circles are an important, innovative method for giving participants the knowledge, confidence, and support they need to enact change. In addition to learning from experts, our group will engage in peer-to-peer learning.  Women farming largely share a commitment to environmental, economic, and social sustainability, and the learning circle model supports engagement between women.

Participating women are considered the “experts” on their own production, farmland, and conservation needs, and are encouraged to speak about their own experiences and goals rather than passively listen to a professional in a traditional lecture format. This format builds knowledge, confidence, and community.

Event Details:
What:  Women Farmer and Landowner Learning Circles: Small Livestock and Meat Production
When:  Saturday, July 9, 2016 - 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Where:  Davey Road Ranch, 6505 W Davey Rd, Raymond, Neb. 68428
     - Branched Oak North Farm, 17303 NW 70th Rd, Raymond, Neb. 68428
Topic: Small Livestock and meat production:  Participants will tour two farms in small livestock and meat production guided by Tammy Austin at Davey Road Ranch beginning at 9 a.m., and then moving over to Branched Oak North Farm for a tour led by Angie Kubalek.  At these farms participants will see herds of hogs: American New Guinea, Old Spot, Durocs, Hampshires (to name a few breeds), along with ducks, chickens, and goats.

Light refreshments and snacks will be provided after the learning circle.

Since space is limited, interested participants are asked to register in advance by July 6 to reserve a space. Contact Sandra Renner at sandrar@cfra.org or (402) 320-3444 to register or for more information about the event. Individuals interested can also RSVP to this event on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ruralaffairs/events).

Save the date for upcoming Women’s Learning Circles:  Sept. 10 - Working with NRCS, FSA programs, and Hoop Houses at Common Good Farm near Raymond, Neb., and October 29 - A tour of Great Plains Nursery near Weston, Neb., and Working with Conservation Programs & Policy at Prairie Plate/Lakehouse Farm near Waverly, Neb. 



Iowa Learning Farms Cover Crop Field Day near Correctionville Planned for July 12

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Woodbury County Natural Resource Conservation Service and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, will host a cover crop field day on Tuesday, July 12, from 4:30–7 p.m. at John Wilcox Farm near Correctionville. The event is free and open to the public, and includes a complimentary meal.

The field day will feature Woodbury County producers John and Roger Wilcox, Shane Susie and Cherokee County farmer Nathan Anderson. They will share their experiences adding a cover crop to their operations, including the benefits and challenges they have faced.  NRCS Agronomist, Mike Henderson will discuss soil health and provide a slake test demonstration. Joel DeJong, extension field agronomist with share information on herbicide carryover effects on cover crops and provide tips to help with planning and management of cover crops. The Conservation Station rainfall simulator will also be on hand to demonstrate the effects of rainfall on different agricultural and urban land use scenarios through the collection of water runoff and subsurface drainage.

The field day will be held at John Wilcox’s Farm, 3550 170th St. Correctionville, Iowa. From Correctionville, take IA-31 S (160th St) south for about 1 mile. Turn right to stay on 160th Street (D22) and travel west for 6.4 miles. Turn left to go south on Lee Avenue for 1.2 miles. Take the first left on to 170th Street and the farm will be 1 mile east at the T-intersection. Field day signs will be posted. The workshop is free and open to the public, but reservations are suggested to ensure adequate space and food. Contact Woodbury County NRCS at 712-943-6272 ext. 300 to RSVP.



New FAA Drone Rules Put Technology in Farmers' Hands
   
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) yesterday announced its final rule governing commercial uses of small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) or drones.

"We're pleased that the FAA recognizes the important commercial applications for UAS technology, and has created rules that will put the technology in farmers' hands," said Maryland farmer Chip Bowling, President of National Corn Growers Association.

"As with any technology, unmanned aerial systems can make farms safer, more efficient, and more sustainable. That's good for farmers, consumers, and the environment. That's why NCGA has taken a leadership role on this issue from the beginning, working with the UAS industry, federal regulators, and others to create reasonable rules and regulations for this technology."

The rule, which goes into effect in August, simplifies the process for the commercial use of drones. Previously, the FAA only authorized commercial uses on a case-by-case basis. Under the new rule, drones weighing less than 55 pounds can fly at altitudes of up to 400 feet and up to 100 miles per hour during the day. Drones must stay within the operator's visual line of sight. The rule bans nighttime operation without an FAA waiver; operation from a moving vehicle or aircraft; and carrying hazardous materials.

Commercial drone pilots must be at least 16 years of age and must obtain a remote pilot airman certificate with a small UAS rating or be under direct supervision of someone who holds one. To qualify, they must pass an aeronautical knowledge test and go through a vetting process with the Transportation Security Administration. Recreational drone operators are still required to register their hobby drones.

The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) estimates that agriculture will account for as much as 80 percent of all commercial UAS use. Applications of unmanned aerial systems include crop scouting; early detection of pest infestations and crop disease; more precise application of fertilizers and other crop inputs; and reducing the need for humans in potentially dangerous tasks.

"These are common-sense rules that create a culture of safety and responsibility, while ensuring farmers have the access, tools, and training to take full advantage of UAS technology," said Bowling.



Breaking the Maturity Group Barrier

Seed companies generally make soybean varieties available for five to seven years before they are replaced with more resistant, higher-yielding new varieties. Soybean breeders are being challenged to get those new, better varieties on the market more quickly to meet the growing challenges of soybean farming, but breeding traits into varieties in a different maturity group is often a hit-or-miss approach.

Molecular research, funded by the soy checkoff, may be the key to speeding up the breeding process.

“Normally when breeding for group II soybeans, which are really good for Iowa, the breeder would take a high-yielding maturity group II soybean and cross it with some other high-yielding group II soybean,” says Kristin Bilyeu, Ph.D., research molecular biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. “Our model will allow the breeder to go outside of their normal comfort zone of just the maturity group II high-yielders and maybe cross with a high-yielding group V variety that has some particular stress resistance, knowing that the offspring will likely be group II.”

The challenge soybean breeders face is transferring traits between maturity groups while keeping the offspring in the desired maturity group. It’s possible, but it may take multiple breeding cycles to get the desired result, lengthening the process. Bilyeu’s research may help overcome that hurdle by providing breeders and researchers more insight as to what defines the plant’s maturity group in the genetic code.

“We’re looking for a set of genes that would tell us what the predicted maturity group would be for any particular soybean line,” says Bilyeu.  “It would help soybean breeders develop new varieties with the most important traits more quickly.”

Specifically, Bilyeu identified three genes that control about 75 percent of the variation for maturity group between groups 0 and V, giving soybean breeders a good chance of being able to transfer desired traits between significantly different maturity groups.



Urea, UAN32 Prices Lower

Some retail fertilizer prices are moving lower for the first time in 10 weeks, according to DTN's weekly survey for the third week of June. That's likely due to a seasonal shift as fertilizer demand lessens with the side-dressing application season concluding.

All eight of the major fertilizers edged lower in price compared to the previous month. Leading the way lower was urea and UAN32, which both slid 5%. Urea averaged $367/ton while UAN32 was at $305/ton.

The remaining six fertilizers were lower in price from last month but the move lower was fairly small. DAP averaged $469/ton, MAP $496/ton, potash $367/ton, 10-34-0 $555/ton, anhydrous $566/ton and UAN28 $266/ton

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.40/lb.N, anhydrous $0.35/lb.N, UAN28 $0.48/lb.N and UAN32 $0.48/lb.N.

DTN's exclusive retail fertilizer surveys show prices remain lower compared to a year earlier. All fertilizers are now double digits lower.  10-34-0 is 14% lower while MAP is 17% less expensive and both DAP and UAN32 are 18% lower. UAN28 is 19% lower and anhydrous is 20% less expensive from a year previous.  In addition, urea is 21% lower and potash is 27% less expensive.



EIA: Ethanol Stocks, Output Down

Ethanol inventories were drawn down last week, with domestic production also lower but implied demand rose to a record high, according to data release Wednesday by the Energy Information Administration.

The data showed total inventories fell 100,000 bbl or 0.3% to 21.1 million bbl for the week-ended June 17, with a year-over-year surplus at 1.3 million bbl or 6.4%.

Plant production fell 51,000 bpd or 5.0% last week to 962,000 bpd while 3.2% lower year-over-year.

Blender inputs, a proxy for ethanol demand, increased by 6,000 bpd or 0.65% to 928,000 bpd for the week, while up 2.9% year-over-year.



NBB to Congress: Biodiesel is Advanced Biofuel Success Story

Biodiesel is delivering the vast majority of Advanced Biofuel under the Renewable Fuel Standard and is poised for continued growth with strong policy, National Biodiesel Board Vice President of Federal Affairs Anne Steckel said in prepared testimony set to be delivered at a congressional hearing Wednesday.

“Biodiesel and renewable diesel are the unsung heroes of the RFS Advanced Biofuel program,” Steckel planned to tell a House panel. “If you take away one thing from my testimony today, I hope it is the following – while there are certainly areas that could be improved, the RFS has made tremendous progress in developing Advanced Biofuels and delivering them to American consumers. Biodiesel and renewable diesel have made up the vast majority of Advanced Biofuels in the RFS, including filling more than 90 percent of the category in the last two years.”

Steckel’s prepared testimony was to be delivered to the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy and Power at a hearing titled, “The Renewable Fuel Standard – Implementation Issues.”

Steckel planned to call for the EPA to strengthen its recently announced RFS proposal, which includes a biodiesel volume of 2.1 billion gallons in 2018, just 100 million gallons higher than the 2017 volume finalized last year. The industry already appears poised to exceed 2.1 billion gallons of RFS production this year, she notes.

“There remains significant untapped production capacity on the ground today, and biodiesel producers across the country will tell you they stand ready to invest and expand and hire with strong, stable policy,” her testimony reads. “However, we continue to believe the agency is underestimating the volume of biodiesel that can be delivered.”

Biodiesel – made from a diverse mix of resources such as recycled cooking oil, soybean oil and animal fats – is the first and only EPA-designated Advanced Biofuel to reach commercial-scale production nationwide. According to the EPA, biodiesel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 57 percent to 86 percent compared with petroleum diesel.

The RFS – a bipartisan policy passed in 2005 and signed into law by President George W. Bush – requires increasing volumes of renewable fuels in the U.S. fuel stream. The law requires increasing volumes of Advanced Biofuels in the coming years. Under the law, Advanced Biofuels must reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent compared to petroleum fuels. 



Growth Energy CEO submits testimony for RFS hearing

Growth Energy’s CEO, Emily Skor, issued the following statement after submitting testimony for the official record of today’s Energy and Commerce hearing on the Renewable Fuel Standard:

“The RFS and the development of our nation’s renewable fuel industry have been a resounding success, delivering clean, secure and affordable energy to every American. We urge the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to keep the RFS moving forward, and this committee to work towards fixing the actual issues standing in the way of full implementation. However, the regulatory hurdles and market barriers to entry that impact the E15 marketplace are not being discussed at today’s hearing.

“E15 is a less expensive, high performance fuel, but unlike E10, it cannot be sold during the summer driving season due to a 26 year-old legislative oversight in the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) statutory restrictions. Legislation has been offered in the House of Representatives to fix this problem (H.R. 1736) and this committee should spend time considering how to address this issue.

“American ethanol is a success story that is providing consumers with a choice at the pump for a cleaner, better performing and less expensive fuel. It has moved our nation one step closer to energy independence by lessening our dependence on foreign oil and we urge this committee to ensure its rightful place in our nation’s fuel mix.”



Climate, Rural America Most Affected by Waivers Complicating RFS Implementation, NFU Says

The divisive issue of implementing the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) was center stage at a hearing today of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power. In official testimony submitted for the record, National Farmers Union (NFU) asserted that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made implementation more complicated than it should be and advocated for the agency to consider the several benefits of the RFS when implementing their final rule on renewable volume obligations for 2017.

“It is concerning that a hearing of this nature is even necessary. Again, the EPA has proposed RFS volume obligation levels well below the statute levels mandated by Congress, and I question why they are creating more unnecessary work to implement a law with proven environmental gains,” said NFU President Roger Johnson.

The RFS has tremendous potential to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change by offering a fuel choice that reduces greenhouse gas emissions. According to a study by the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, the RFS will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 138 million metric tons by 2022, the equivalent to taking 27 million cars off the road, if RFS statutory volume obligations are followed.

Enhanced by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the RFS requires the EPA to evaluate the available supply of biofuels, and if sufficient supply exists, EPA must set the annual volume obligation targets at those levels, Johnson explained. While issuing a proposed and final rule on an annual schedule is no small task for a federal agency, it is “a much smaller workload than when the agency considers issuing a waiver for which it does not have the legal authority.”

The statutory language authorizing the RFS limits the EPA’s authority to invoke a general waiver to instances where the requirements in the statute would cause severe economic harm or where there is an inadequate domestic supply of biofuels.  EPA claims that there is an inadequate supply of biofuels, justifying a general waiver, but Johnson underscored that this is not the case.

“EPA’s actions on the RFS in the last several years have only contributed to policy uncertainty in the transportation fuels sector, and their proposal completely undermines the broader climate change goals set forth by the Administration. I encourage the EPA to consider the environmental benefits of the RFS over the position of Big Oil when implementing their final rule,” Johnson concluded.



Cuba Purchases U.S. Soy Oil For First Time Since 2011

Cuba made its first U.S. soyoil purchase in more than five years this month, the latest sign that drought and heavy rains in South America have tightened supplies and disrupted longstanding trade patterns. Buyers of soybeans and soy products have increasingly turned to the United States after rains reduced Argentina soy crop quality and stocks ran low in Brazil, reports Reuters.

Brazil is the top soybean exporter while Argentina ships the most soyoil and soymeal.

In an unusual move, the United States sold 7,600 tonnes of soyoil to the Caribbean island in the first week of June, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data on Friday.

While the shipment comprised a small portion of U.S. exports, it was the biggest to Cuba since 2010 and the first since 2011. The companies involved were not identified. One trader noted the refined oil could be used for cooking.

Some traders said the sale could mark Cuba's quiet return to U.S. shores for agricultural products, including rice, chicken and wheat, as relations improve between the former Cold War foes more than half a century after the United States slapped a trade embargo on its Caribbean Sea neighbor.



New research finds way to reduce salmonella by 90 percent in meat products

An old technology that uses natural bacteria predators, called bacteriophages, is the focus of new research at the University of Nevada, Reno. The technique is being used to reduce salmonella bacteria in meat products.

Assistant Professor Amilton de Mello, from the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources at the University of Nevada, Reno, presented his research at the international American Meat Science Association’s conference that ends today in Texas.

“We were able to reduce salmonella by as much as 90 percent in ground poultry, ground pork and ground beef,” de Mello reported. “We’re excited to be able to show such good results, food safety is an important part of our work and salmonella is one of the most prevalent bacteria in the nation’s food supply.”

Salmonella is one of the most common causes of food borne illnesses in the United States. The bacteria can cause diarrhea, fever, vomiting and abdominal cramps. In people with weaker immune systems, or in young children and the elderly, it can be fatal. It is estimated to cause one million foodborne illnesses in the United States every year, with 19,000 hospitalizations and 380 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

De Mello’s research treated meat products infected with four types of salmonella by applying Myoviridae bacteriophages during mixing. Bacteriophages are commonly found in our environment. They are viruses that can only harm specific bacterial cells and are harmless to humans, animals and plants.

In the experiments, the salmonella bacteria was inoculated on refrigerated meat and poultry trim, then the treatment was applied to the meat before grinding. The bacteriophages invaded the cells of the bacteria and destroyed them.

“On the final ground meat products, there was a 10-fold decrease of salmonella,” de Mello said. “The results are very encouraging and we’re hoping this can be adopted by the meat industry to increase food safety.”

De Mello was invited to speak about his research at the 69th Annual AMSA Reciprocal Meat Conference in San Angelo, Texas. Overall, his research focuses on positively impacting meat industry operations, production costs, meat quality attributes and animal welfare.

His broad research program approaches important "from farm-to-table" steps such as animal welfare, meat quality and food safety. His current research is related to pre-slaughter physical conditions, value-added products, pre- and post-harvest food safety interventions, effects of physiologic parameters on muscle-to-meat transformation, beef nutritional values and control of salmonella and E. coli during processing.

The meat science program at the University was invigorated with the hiring of de Mello in December 2015 and the opening of his new meat research lab. In addition to his research, he teaches about the meat industry, food safety and quality systems and advanced meat science in the University’s Department of Agriculture, Nutrition, and Veterinary Sciences.

"We are creating a very broad meat science program,” he said. “We have meat-quality projects. We have experiments involving animal welfare and food safety. We offer students research and teaching experiences by using our main meat lab and three collaborating ones here on campus. Students can go to our Nevada Agriculture Experiment Station in the morning, follow animal harvest activities in our USDA-inspected meat processing plant, learn about animal welfare practices and spend the afternoon in the lab developing research.”

The University’s experiment station houses the meat processing plant, feedlot facilities, cattle working areas and 650 acres of irrigated pasture, all just 15 minutes from the main campus in downtown Reno.

“Amilton brings an abundance of energy and expertise to the program,” Bill Payne, dean of the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources, said. “He’s one of 10 new faculty in the College who will allow us to better connect with and support agricultural producers in ways that have not been possible for many years.”



New Study Quantifies Benefits of Agricultural Conservation in Upper Mississippi River Basin

Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have published a new study that demonstrates that agricultural conservation practices in the upper Mississippi River watershed can reduce nitrogen inputs to area streams and rivers by as much as 34 percent.

The study combined USDA's Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) data with the USGS SPARROW watershed model to measure the potential effects of voluntary conservation practices, which historically have been difficult to do in large river systems, because different nutrient sources can have overlapping influences on downstream water quality.

"These results provide new insights on the benefits of conservation practices in reducing nutrient inputs to local streams and rivers and ultimately to the Gulf of Mexico," said Sarah Ryker, Interior's acting assistant deputy for Water and Science. "The incorporation of agricultural conservation practice information into watershed models helps us better understand where water quality conditions are improving and prioritize where additional conservation actions are needed."

Until this study, nutrient reductions have been difficult to detect in the streams because changes in multiple sources of nutrients (including non-agricultural sources) and natural processes (e.g., hydrological variability, channel erosion) can have confounding influences that conceal the effects of improved farming practices on downstream water quality. The models used in this study overcame these difficulties to help validate the downstream benefits of farmers' conservation actions on the land.

"As the results of this valuable collaboration with the USGS indicate, voluntary conservation on agricultural lands is improving water quality. When multiple farmers, ranchers and working forest land managers in one region come together to apply the conservation science, the per acre conservation benefit is greatly enhanced," said USDA Natural Resources and Environment Deputy Under Secretary Ann Mills. "While there are no short-term solutions to complex water quality issues, USDA is committed to continuing these accelerated voluntary conservation efforts, using collaborative science to target conservation in watersheds where the greatest benefits can be realized."

Nutrient reductions attributable to agricultural conservation practices in the region ranged from five to 34 percent for nitrogen and from one to 10 percent for total phosphorus, according to the study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

High levels of nutrients containing nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural and urban areas contribute to hypoxic regions (low oxygen "dead zones") in offshore marine waters.

The study underscored evidence that slowing the water and routing it into the ground can significantly reduce the nitrogen that is eventually transported to streams. Structural and erosion control practices, such as conservation tillage, in the Upper Mississippi River Basin have been shown to reduce runoff and peak flows, thereby increasing water infiltration into the soils and the subsurface geology. An added benefit of these conservation actions is that, in some areas, hydrological and biogeochemical conditions in the subsurface can promote the removal of nitrogen by natural biological processes.

Phosphorus reductions were lower than was seen for nitrogen, possibly because of long time lags between conservation actions and the time it may take for sediment-bound phosphorus to move downstream. In addition, some erosion control practices, such as no-till and reduced tillage, have been shown to increase soluble phosphorus levels in farm runoff, which can potentially offset some benefits from erosion control practices.

The innovative approach combined information from process-based models from USDA's Agricultural Research Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) with a USGS hybrid statistical and process-based model to quantify the environmental benefits of agricultural conservation practices at a regional scale.

The USGS watershed model was calibrated with data from over 700 water-quality monitoring stations operated by numerous local, state, and federal agencies throughout the Upper Mississippi River basin. The investigation used the most recently available farmer survey data from CEAP (2003-2006), together with stream water-quality data that are approximately coincident with the time period (1980s to 2004, with the average centered on 2002) over which farmer conservation practices, as measured in the survey, were adopted.

Additional information on the USGS SPARROW modeling approach and a nutrient mapper and an online decision support tool for the Mississippi River basin is available online.

USDA established CEAP to provide more quantitative science-based guidance on the benefits of conservation practices and identify further treatment needs. CEAP data have been useful in providing information and guidance on the best use of funding for conservation and to facilitate the alignment of conservation programs with national environmental protection priorities such as the restoration of the Gulf of Mexico.