The Ohio Department of Agriculture recently reported that it continues to see strong interest from agricultural producers who want to participate in the H2Ohio.
The Ohio Department of Agriculture recently reported that it continues to see strong interest from agricultural producers who want to participate in the H2Ohio.
Over the past year, agriculture has realized numerous successes in Gov. Mike DeWine’s water quality initiative, with over a million acres of farmland impacted.
With the passage of Ohio’s biennium budget for fiscal years 2022 and 2023, ODA plans to dedicate nearly $60 million annually toward the H2Ohio initiative over the next two years. ODA will continue the program in the originally targeted 14 counties of the Maumee River Watershed and has expanded the program to the remaining 10 counties in the Western Lake Erie Basin.
ODA will continue to offer seven best management practices aimed at reducing nutrient loss from cropland through better nutrient management, erosion management and water management. The first year of H2Ohio enrollees are wrapping up their growing seasons with the first round of those practices. Preventing the over-application of nutrients and then keeping those nutrients on the land is critical.
Also in this last year, the Department of Natural Resources began work on another 33 wetland projects totaling 5,052 acres. These projects are located throughout Ohio though the majority of them are based in the Western Lake Erie Basin, which means more the water from more land in the watershed will be slowed down and filtered through these additional wetlands. Fewer nutrients will end up in Lake Erie and other water bodies. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is also working on water and sewer projects.
ODA also reported that it will also launch a statewide watershed management program, created through the passage of House Bill 7 in 2020. This new watershed management program will assess water quality concerns at the regional level throughout the state and identify management practices to protect watersheds and improve water quality in areas of impairment.
ODA will enroll 500,000 acres into the program for a two-week sign-up period, beginning April 22, 2024, through May 6, 2024. Contact local SWCD offices to apply.
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The survey results establish a baseline of adoption for various farming practices in the Sandusky watershed.
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The Greene County Soil and Water Conservation District’s annual Test Your Well Event was free to Greene County Farm Bureau members.
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Ohio Farm Bureau 2024 priority issues focus on business climate, regulatory environment, preserving Ohio’s farming heritage, healthy rural communities, and grassroots advocacy.
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Funding is now available from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Ohio to help Western Lake Erie Basin producers implement conservation practices on their land. Apply by Dec. 8 to be eligible for the first round of funding.
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After decades of decline, how did the community pull together to push Grand Lake St. Marys in the right direction?
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The plan establishes a total maximum daily load for phosphorus for the Maumee River Watershed.
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Gary Mescher and other farmers have not only learned, but implemented Nutrient Management Plan practices that now serve as models for how to manage agricultural runoff in the Western Lake Erie Basin.
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ODA and SWCD are hosting a series of informational meetings for farmers to learn about H2Ohio incentives, the Ohio Agriculture Conservation Initiative, best management practices and open enrollment.
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The comprehensive study found that water quality has improved tremendously over the years, with 86% of the state’s large rivers in good to excellent condition compared to just 18% in the 1980s.
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