An Open Letter To The Agricultural Community From The Chesapeake Bay Foundation

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation published an advertisement in regional newspapers this morning to the agriculture community to take a second look at federal legislation meant to restore the Bay watershed.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation extends an invitation to the agricultural community to join us in an open dialogue about how to achieve clean water and maintain a strong agricultural economy in the Bay region. In our minds, these are complementary goals. The Chesapeake Clean Water and Ecosystem Restoration Act (S. 1816 and H.R. 3852) will help Pennsylvania support thriving, well-managed, and profitable farms that can continue producing healthy food for our citizens.

In fact, Bay farmers have made substantial progress in reducing pollution to our streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay. Many farmers have planted cover crops, installed streamside buffers, embraced no-till planting, and improved manure management. As a result, since 1985, EPA’s Bay Program Office estimates that agriculture has put in place practices sufficient to reduce more than 50 percent of its share of the nitrogen and phosphorus pollution reductions necessary for clean rivers and a clean Bay. By comparison, during the same time, pollution from urban stormwater runoff has increased—and the reality remains: We all need to do more.

Today, after decades of broken promises, all sources of pollution to the Chesapeake watershed will face a court-ordered pollution budget known as a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). State and federal governments are working together to establish this pollution budget that will set nitrogen and phosphorus pollution reduction targets for all sources in the watershed—agriculture, wastewater treatment plants, urban stormwater, and more. States must prepare “watershed implementation plans” that will detail how they will achieve the pollution reduction goals of the TMDL. If not adequately written or implemented, states will face federal penalties. Although details will be left to the states, significant pollution reductions will be required by the TMDL and associated implementation plans.

The Chesapeake Clean Water Act would provide critical tools to help this process. The bill authorizes significant federal funds to help states, towns, cities, rural areas and farmers to meet the obligations that will come as part of the “watershed implementation plans.” Not less than $96 million is authorized for desperately needed technical assistance for agricultural producers.

Furthermore, the legislation would establish an interstate water-quality program created to complement existing state programs, lower the costs of reducing pollution flowing into the Bay, and provide a revenue stream for farmers. The program would allow those that can reduce pollution more cost effectively, like farmers, to sell pollution credits to those with higher compliance costs. Estimates are that the program could bring $300 million to farmers in the Chesapeake region annually. Finally, the bill would establish an unambiguous pollution budget and reduction target, bringing predictability to the restoration effort and prompting long-term planning and funding strategies.

CBF has worked for many years advocating for increased conservation funding and helping farmers implement pollution control practices. In Pennsylvania, CBF successfully obtained $15 million to fund farm conservation efforts from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST), setting a new precedent for financing agricultural practices from these funds normally directed toward municipal infrastructural improvements. We worked with a coalition to pass the Resource Enhancement and Protection Act (REAP) and our restoration program has worked with private landowners to install more than 2,000 stream miles of forested buffers.

In Maryland, we have led efforts to implement and promote rotational grazing through a “Grazer’s Network” of beef and dairy farmers and have battled for the Bay Restoration Fund and the 2010 Bay Trust Fund. In Virginia, through a cooperative partnership with the agricultural community known as the Waste Solutions Forum, we have promoted and sought funding to identify viable, alternate uses of excess animal manure that are profitable.

Most recently, CBF successfully advocated for changes in the federal Farm Bill that resulted in $638 million for agricultural conservation programs and technical assistance to Chesapeake region farmers. We have consistently demonstrated, through our actions and public statements, our commitment to clean water and a thriving agricultural economy.

CBF remains committed to these goals. Working together, we can ensure both are achieved, but it will require our collective efforts. Please go to our webpage and share your thoughts and ideas on ways we can work together. Visit cbf.org/ag2010 or call Lamonte Garber in CBF’s Pennsylvania office at 717/234-5550.

We welcome your input and look forward to working together for the benefit of our waters, our farmers, and our future.

Will Baker, President
Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Matt Ehrhart, Pennsylvania Executive Director
Chesapeake Bay Foundation