Agricultural run-off sp 09

--Kerstin 08:48, 3 April 2009 (EDT)

Organic Agriculture

Organic agriculture is the production of food without using genetically modified organisms, sewage sludge, or synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers.(Pimental et al. 2005)

A History of Organic Farming

Until World War II, artificial fertilizers and large-scale agriculture were non-existent. Small, family owned farms used crop rotation, cover crops, and natural fertilizers such as manure to keep their crops healthy and productive.

The chemicals used in Vietnam were eventually adopted for agricultural use, resulting in some of our current conventional farming methods.

In 1962, Rachel Carson released Silent Spring, which led Americans to begin to question the artificial products used in agriculture. Since then, and especially in recent years, buying organic produce has become more and more popular.(Rodale Insitute)

The USDA National Organic Program

While some farmers choose to produce food organically but not to become USDA certified because of the extra costs, most do opt for the certification. This enables their consumers to be sure that certain standards are met.

According to the USDA, "The National Organic Program (NOP) develops, implements, and administers national production, handling, and labeling standards for organic agricultural products. The NOP also accredits the certifying agents (foreign and domestic) who inspect organic production and handling operations to certify that they meet USDA standards."

Current Laws and Regulation

The Organic Food Production Act of 1990 mandates a National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances that contains which synthetic inputs can be used, as well as which natural inputs cannot be used.

Notes

Rodale Institute website "A Brief History"

Inputs for Amish Agriculture

Current Regulation in Pennsylvania

The protection and restoration of Pennsylvania's watershed is handled by many organizations, both local and national.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), water quality assessments performed by individual States continue to show that nonpoint source pollution is the leading cause of damages in surface waters of the U.S. As described by the EPA, the major non point source pollutants from agricultural include nutrients, sediment, animal wastes, salts, and pesticides.

Under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency[1], the National Management Measures to Control Nonpoint Source Pollution from Agriculture provides officials at the state and local level with guidance for the implementation of nonpoint source pollution management programs. The document contains information on the best available, economically achievable means of reducing pollution of surface and ground water from agriculture.

Possible Solutions to Minimize Environmental Impacts

In there 2007 annual report on non-point source pollution, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PDEP) laid out the following five goals[2]:

Goal 1: Improve and protect water resources as a result of nonpoint source program implementation efforts. Show water resource improvements by measuring reductions in sediments, nutrients and metals or increases in aquatic life use, riparian habitat, wetlands, or public health benefits. By 2012, through combined program efforts, remove 500 miles of streams and 1,600 lake acres that are identified on the State’s Integrated List of All Waters as being impaired because of nonpoint sources of pollution.

Goal 2: Coordinate with watershed groups, local governments, and others in the development and implementation of 20 watershed implementation plans meeting EPA’s Section 319 criteria to protect and restore surface and groundwater quality.

Goal 3: Improve and develop monitoring efforts to determine how projects and programs improve water quality and/or meet target pollution reductions including TMDLs.

Goal 4: Encourage development and use of new technologies, tools, and technology transfer practices, to enhance understanding and use of techniques for addressing nonpoint source pollution.

Goal 5: Assure implementation of appropriate best management practices to protect, improve and restore water quality by using or enhancing the existing financial incentives, technical assistance, education and regulatory programs.