OACI report gauges progress of farm water quality improvement efforts

The Ohio Agriculture Conservation Initiative (OACI) rolled out the findings of its 2023 Assessment Survey Report on practices being used by farmers in the Sandusky 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.

“The numbers were, overall, much stronger than I thought they were going to be and I’m really hopeful that after H2Ohio is factored into these assessments in the future that those figures will be even bigger,” said Kris Swartz, Wood County farmer and Chair of the Ohio Agriculture Conservation Initiative. “The amount of producers embracing technology and using grid sampling and variable rate applications stood out to me and paints a bright picture for the future of this watershed.”

The survey results establish a baseline of adoption for various farming practices in the Sandusky 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