On-Farm Technical Assistance
The staff agronomists advise participating farmers on topics such as crop production to reduce erosion and nutrient loss from fields; farmstead best management practices for improved manure and water management; fencing to keep livestock away from water resources; reduced phosphorus runoff using soil aeration and alternative manure application systems; whole-farm nutrient balances and other identified Best Management Practices (BMPs). Two priority strategies of ACAP are:
- Increase the number of Extension personnel available for on-farm technical assistance, education and support.
- Provide financial and regulatory incentives to install fencing (temporary or permanent), watering systems, and stream crossings in order to improve management of animals in and around streams and rivers.
Conservation Practices
Specific target areas include:
- Nutrient management
- Nutrient Mass Balance
- Manure storage and handling
- Cover crops
- Soil aeration and/or manure injection
- Conservation tillage
- Field buffers
- Sensitive area seeding/grassed waterways
- Livestock exclusion from streams
- Farmstead clean water separation
- Barnyard areas
- Milking center waste
- Silage leachate
- Livestock mortality
