Reducing runoff – one field at a time . . . Learn more:
Fertilizer applied to corn filed (via USDA)
To keep agricultural runoff from polluting waterways, farmers can plant cover crops and use no-till farming. It used to be difficult and expensive to figure out which fields need these approaches the most.
But Jon Winsten of the non-profit Winrock International says now computer models can show how much polluting runoff comes from each field, so farmers know where to target their efforts.
“The farmer then becomes armed with the information of ‘where do I get the greatest bang for the buck. And they choose those fields first,” he says.
Winsten hopes this approach will be used to reward farmers financially for reducing the amount of nutrient pollution their farms generate.
Get Schooled:
- Learn more about Jon Winsten’s research.
- Read more about Pay-for-Performance conservation efforts in the Milwaukee River watershed.
- Discover how researchers from The Ohio State University want to protect the ecosystem while maintaining a robust agricultural system.
- Till into some facts about the Nutrient Tracking Tool provided by Tarleton State that Jon Winsten mentions below.
Hear More:
Jon Winsten discusses new computer models.
The fine print:
- CurrentCast is produced in partnership with Cornell University’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future. Learn more at http://www.currentcast.org.
