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Chesapeake Bay farmer encourages others in Western Lake Erie

A Chesapeake Bay farmer says farmers in water quality sensitive areas should be part of the solution.

John Swaine III has been farming in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed for more than 40 years. During a recent event in the Western Lake Erie Basin, Swaine shared his experiences with farmers facing similar challenges on initiatives to meet water quality standards.

“We’ve been working with this for 10-15 years probably, it ramped up a lot more recently with some increased regulations, nutrient management regulations.”  Chesapeake Bay farmers are regulated under Total Daily Max Loads by the EPA to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution.

Swaine tells Brownfield farmers need to be proactive with their management practices and be on the forefront of the conversation.

“Everybody’s a part of the problem with water quality, but be involved, be proactive, get involved and help show that you’re doing the right things—plant cover crops, grassed waterways, other best management practices.”

He says cover crops have been the most successful practice used by Maryland farmers. Swaine says his goal every year on the farm is to cover every acre with a cover crop.  “It’s sometimes a challenge to get it all seeded in time, but we’re probably getting 80 percent of the acreage covered every year in small grains or radishes.”  While it may take an extra management step, Swaine tells Brownfield using cover crops is working, “With soil health, we’re keeping cover on the land, we’re helping with erosion, I know we’re capturing nutrients because I’ve seen signs of that the following spring.”

He says where ever there are people and water, water quality will continue to be a concern.

AUDIO: Interview with John Swaine III (5:45 mp3):