Randomly selected Pennsylvania farms will be visited by federal representatives probing conservation and farming practices' impact on the Chesapeake Bay watershed, according to The Reading Eagle.
The visits are part of a larger effort in the region as more than 1,500 farms in Delaware, Maryland, New York, Virginia and West Virginia also will receive the federal representatives through the end of next month.
"The National Agricultural Statistics Service wants to develop a science base for managing the agricultural landscape throughout the watershed in order to restore the health of the Bay," Reading-based field representative Elwood Blake with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection told the Reading Eagle. "The survey also will illustrate the good work of farmers, improve and strengthen technical and financial programs, and strengthen the bottom line of Pennsylvania's farm producers."
The representatives will ask farmers to show data on various production practices such as the application of chemical, fertilizer and manure, as well as how they handle integrated pest management. The federal officials also will look into adopted conservation practices.
The National Agricultural Statistics Service is under the umbrella of the U.S. Agriculture Department and it probes the gamut of agricultural issues in the nation.
No comments:
Post a Comment