Interesting idea to help farmers

[afishinado]

become more eco-friendly to our streams and rivers.


https://www.bayjournal.com/news/policy/pennsylvania-bill-would-earmark-money-to-help-farmers-prevent-pollution/article_557934b2-a7b0-11eb-918a-bb5423731224.html?fbclid=IwAR3zAORZzdCvwlWhi4CNOexlA_YJoJusGfhTKBWD3opsNICdP5kz3v4SW1A

 

[lycoflyfisher]

There are already numerous funding sources to help farmers fund fencing and riparian buffer projects, stabilized animal crossings, barnyard projects, manure storage etc. There has been a ton of public funding thrown at improving agricultural impairments.

 

[afishinado]

lycoflyfisher wrote:
There are already numerous funding sources to help farmers fund fencing and riparian buffer projects, stabilized animal crossings, barnyard projects, manure storage etc. There has been a ton of public funding thrown at improving agricultural impairments.

Maybe things are better in the Lyco area, but Ag conservation is a sad state of affairs along the Susquehanna watershed areas. This should help move things in the right direction.

Read this!

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Poor ag land management is a huge issue across the state, I am not refuting that at all. What I am saying is that if a farmer willingly wanted to reduce the environmental impact of their agricultural operation there have been substantial cost share and grant funding opportunities for decades. These funding opportunities have been for fencing and buffer establishment, riparian plantings, diversions and grassed waterways, manure storage infrastructure, barnyard runoff management etc. If farmer's have wanted to improve their property they could have have taken on projects with funding assistance already with minimal effort. What has lacked is enforcement of existing regulations pertaining to manure and nutrient management and agricultural erosion and sediment control

 

[rrt]

The spreading of liquid manure is probably the most severe of all agricultural problems, as it runs off with every rain; and if applied prior to a heavy rain, it washes off dramatically. It is probably responsible for the elimination of blue-winged olives on two local creeks.

But, if fishermen tried to do something about it, all the creeks flowing through such land would be quickly posted against fishing.

A real Catch-22 problem.

 

[larkmark]

rrt is correct. Many farmers here wait until a rain is coming and then apply liquid manure heavily even to frozen ground. This is not for the benefit of the crops as fertilizer so much but is a way to dispose of the stuff.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Liquid manure, silage leachate from silos and other bulk feed storage, are all sources of excess nutrients. I would rank drain tiles, siltation, pasturing streams and loss of canopy cover as some of the more critical issues that impact smaller headwaters streams in agricultural areas.

 

[Brianh]

I have property in Lycoming county and about 10 years ago we entered into an agreement with the state where they supplied and planted trees on our property in a field that runs along the headwaters of a class A creek. We also receive an annual tax benefit as long as we keep a minimum amount of trees.