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Ohio moving toward water quality goals

A USDA researcher says Ohio agriculture is moving in the right direction to improve water quality. But there’s much more work to do.

Kevin King, research engineer with USDA says more farmers need to adopt water quality practices on their crop fields.

“Based on the data that we have right now, roughly 30 percent of the producers are at or meeting that threshold that’s been set forward. There’s room for improvement. That means 70 percent of the producers are not meeting that so we definitely have some things that we can work on,” says King.

The 4R Nutrient Stewardship program will be available to ag retailers across Ohio starting next year. King tells Brownfield producers who adopt the 4R measures – Right Nutrient, Right Rate, Right Place, Right Time – will significantly reduce phosphorous loss in Ohio waterways.

“If we can just get producers to soil test, and adhere to those soil tests, we’ll go a long way in helping to reduce those. The second most important item is placement, getting those nutrients below the soil surface,” says King.

King says each crop field has specific needs, and farmers should consult with soil researchers to determine which practices will work best for their fields.

Brownfield interviewed Kevin King at the Ohio Grain Farmers Symposium at Ohio State University.

Audio: Kevin King, Agriculture Research Engineer, USDA