BMPs in the Basin: An Educational Campaign to Preserve the Chipola Basin & Promote Conservation Agriculture
Sustainable Agriculture
Daniel Leonard
County Extension Director
UF/IFAS Calhoun County Extension
Blountstown
Abstract
Background: Florida’s Chipola River Basin stretches nearly 100 miles and is home to myriad endangered species, pristine springs, and over 200,000 acres of cropland. Though agriculture is the region’s primary economic driver, nutrient accumulation in the basin’s springs from ag runoff has become a major environmental/legislative issue. Objectives/Purpose: Recognizing that basin agriculture producers needed assistance adopting new technology and Best Management Practices (BMPs) to comply with new water quality rules, Northwest District Ag Agents sought to educate producers on water quality BMPs and connect them with agencies to help fund conservation equipment purchases. Method: A team of Northwest District Extension Agents received a grant in partnership with the Southern Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP) and the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (FDACS) to fund ongoing BMP education and promotion targeted to Chipola Basin producers. With this funding, the BMP Agent Team planned a series of farm tours and educational videos and purchased specialized conservation ag equipment for conducting BMP demonstrations. The farm tours consisted of conservation technology/practice demonstrations on basin farms and Q&A sessions with the participating producers and organizations. The videos were professionally produced/edited, showed conservation practice implementation results, and featured interviews with farmers that had already adopted water quality BMPs successfully on their farms. Conclusions: The Chipola Basin BMP program has delivered three farm tours with 160 total participants since 2021. As a result of attending the farm tours, 87 participants (96%) reported gaining knowledge of BMPs and available conservation practice programs, 42 respondents (46%) planned to alter and/or adopt conservation management practices, and 34 respondents (37%) planned on enrolling in a BMP or conservation practice program. The video series is in the final editing stages and will be hosted on the Panhandle Ag YouTube channel. Through the video and farm tour series, the BMP Agent team has helped Chipola Basin farmers harness conservation technology to reduce nutrient loading in the basin watershed and improve the efficiency of their farms, a win-win for producers, area residents, and the local environment.
Authors: Daniel Leonard, Andrea Albertin, Ethan Carter, Doug Mayo
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Daniel Leonard Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent, UF/IFAS Extension, Florida, 32424
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Andrea Albertin Water Resources Regional Specialized Agent, UF/IFAS Extension, Florida, 32351
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Ethan Carter Regional Crop IPM Agent, UF/IFAS Extension, Florida, 32448
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Doug Mayo Livestock & Forages Agent, UF/IFAS Extension, Florida, 32448