Farm-level water quality efforts assessed in Upper Scioto Watershed

The Ohio Agriculture Conservation Initiative (OACI) rolled out the findings of its 2024 Assessment Survey Report on practices being used by farmers in the Upper Scioto watershed to manage water and nutrients. The assessment results show ample conservation efforts, as well as areas for improvement and continued farmer education and resourcing by OACI.

“We have had a lot of emphasis on H2Ohio in the northwestern part of the state, so I thought the adoption rates for nutrient management would be a lot less the further south our assessments were taken and that is not the case,” said Kris Swartz, Wood County farmer and Chair of the Ohio Agriculture Conservation Initiative. “Specifically, farmers are embracing the economics and the agronomics of precision agriculture which, ultimately, leads to significantly better water quality.”

The survey results establish a baseline of adoption for various farming practices in the Upper Scioto watershed. The information will allow for a more targeted approach to help increase some practices, while also displaying that some practices are already adopted at an adequate level.… Continue reading