United States. Department of Agriculture

“ Because prevention is far more economical in the long run than cure, EPA and USDA figure to be permanent partners in water quality activities. Already, USDA and EPA work together on the President’s Water Quality Initiative through State water quality efforts, data management, and research. ”

“ Cicadas of the 17-year race that emerge in any given year comprise a brood, those that emerge the next year comprise another brood, and so on. The same is true of the 13-year race.
While adults of one brood are singing in the trees, other broods, in different stages of development, are in the soil—perhaps close by, perhaps hundreds of miles away. They will emerge when they have passed their allotted time in the soil. ”

“ As of June 17, North Carolina's fields were 82 percent transplanted and 85 percent of the crop was rated fair to good. In New Jersey, unseasonably cold temperatures combined with frequent thunderstorms during May reduced the planted acres. Transplanting continues in the Gulf States. In Louisiana, transplanting is wrapping up. Good moisture has contributed to good plant stands in most fields. In Texas, conditions are fair for planting with adequate soil moisture. Continued dry conditions in Alabama have some growers reducing planted acres. Planting is essentially complete in California. ”

“ The Soil Testing Research Program will address improvements in present tests for nitrogen availability to crops; development of new tests, as needed, to assess the impacts of nitrates on water quality; integration of soil tests into farm-scale nitrogen recommendation systems, and development of improvement of tests to determine excess nitrate and the leaching potential at the end of the crop production system. ”

“ Farther east, early season showers delayed fieldwork in the central and eastern Corn Belt and Ohio Valley. However, a late season drying trend promoted spring activities, and as a result planting of summer crops progressed ahead of normal. Elsewhere, critically dry conditions persisted in most areas from the Delta to the southern Atlantic Coast, hindering planting activities and emergence of summer crops. In drought-stricken Georgia, where fieldwork and crop emergence were well behind the normal pace, precipitation was 25 percent of normal in some areas. ”

“ Whole-Farm Survey The whole-farm chemical-use and economic survey will provide data for economic analysis of fertilizer- and pesticide-use policies. Using whole-farm data, analyses can be conducted on crop substitution, input substitution, and input-crop substitution opportunities under different chemical-use situations.
In 1990, a survey of pesticide use on vegetable will be conducted in five States: Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, and Texas. The survey will cover about 80 percent of U.S. fresh-market vegetable production. ”

“ Even when the periodical cicada is not confused with some other insect, its appearance in overwhelming numbers arouses fear that crops will be destroyed. But the cicada does not feed on foliage of any kind. If the adults feed at all, they do so by inserting their beaks in bark and sucking juice. Although the adults cause no feeding damage, the adult females make injurious punctures in twigs and limbs of trees and bushes with their egg-laying apparatus. ”

“ To develop information and assist the monitory endeavor, the Forest Service has also initiated a nationwide research program on soil productivity. The major focus of this program is to quantify the effects of soil disturbances from management activities; validate soil quality standards; and understand the fundamental relationship between soil properties, long-term soil productivity, and forest management practices. ”

“ In contrast, near-normal temperatures prevailed along the Atlantic Coast, while cooler-than-normal conditions (readings as much as 5 degrees F below normal) were confined to southern portions of the Rockies and High Plains. The Midwestern warmth accelerated corn and soybean planting and emergence, with both crops developing well ahead of the 5-year average by month's end. Despite the generally above-normal temperatures, mid-month freezes threatened blooming fruit trees and other temperature-sensitive crops in western Michigan's fruit belt. ”

“ Research in North Carolina shows progress in mapping the potentials of soils for poultry litter application as based on soil characteristics. Promising new methods for safe on-farm disposal of pesticide wastes are being developed by Arkansas scientists. Greater understanding is being obtained by scientists on the degradation, persistence, and movement of pesticides, such as atrazine and metolachlor and other chemicals at several locations. Early results in Montana studies show dicamba movement through soils was reduced as more time was allowed between chemical application and irrigation. ”

“ The area expected for harvest as grain also increased from the previous forecast in many of the Soft Red growing States as producers have now fully evaluated the impact from the April freeze. Sizeable harvested acreage decreases are forecast in Oklahoma and Kansas due mainly to excessive moisture and disease pressure along with the April freeze damage. Winter wheat harvest is progressing well behind average due to cooler spring temperatures that delayed crop development and frequent rains in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas that have delayed harvest. ”

“ Records of chemical use and field operations are being combined with soil and other factors to improve prediction models of chemical contamination of ground water. Improved models are the result of research in Oklahoma and Florida that can better match soils and crop management strategies for use by Extension, Soil Conservation Service, and farm managers. In New York research, improved simulation models and geographic information system (GIS) maps are being developed, improved, and tested to predict chances of pesticide movement to ground water. ”

“ With the exception of New York, Pennsylvania, and the Southeast States, planted acreage decreased in all States across the country. Growers in Illinois and Iowa showed the largest decrease in soybean acreage from last year, down 1.75 million acres and 1.35 million acres, respectively. Large declines in soybean area occurred across the Corn Belt and Great Plains, with planted acreage also down more than one million acres from last year in Indiana, Minnesota, and Nebraska. Many farmers across the country shifted to planting more corn this year at the expense of soybeans. ”

“ Soil Conservation Service is working with the USDA Economic Research Service and the National Center for Resource Innovations to produce a document that identifies areas in the United States that have the potential for ground water contamination from agricultural chemicals. A Geographic Information System was used to apply National Resource Inventory sample points, soils data, and a pesticide-use data base to a vulnerability model. ”

“ By May 27, growers had planted 97 percent of their intended acreage, 1 point ahead of last year and 4 points ahead of normal. Seeding exceeded the normal pace in all States except Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, and Texas. Meanwhile, emergence of the crop also progressed ahead of normal. On June 10, ninety-nine percent of the crop had emerged, 2 points ahead of last year and 4 points ahead of the 5-year average. Emergence advanced ahead of normal in all States, except Colorado, under favorably warm, moist conditions. ”

“ Missouri research shows that movement of pesticides through soil cracks and large pores was decreased if irrigation was delayed after application of chemicals. Less preferential flow of water and solute occurred in soils in applications of chemicals were made to wet soils after irrigation rather than to dry soils before irrigation in Arizona research. Detoxification of contaminated soils and water by inoculation with microbes or by application of enzymes holds promise of being more cost-effective than presently-used physical–chemical treatments, according to research in Pennsylvania. ”

“ Activities Planned Three data collection activities are underway to help answer questions associated with aggregate chemical-use patterns. These data are important not only to the President’s Water Quality Initiative, but also to USDA’s Food Safety Data Initiative, benefits assessments, and other pesticide-related activities. The planned data activities are a cropping practices survey, a whole-farm chemical use and economic survey, and area study surveys. ”

“ Southeast growers (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina) planted 852,000 acres, down 10 percent from 2006. Planted area in Mississippi is unchanged from last year, but peanut acreage in all other States in the region decreased from 2006. Planted area in Alabama, at 150,000 acres, is the lowest since 1912. In Georgia, where planted area decreased 60,000 acres, severe drought prevented some producers from planting peanuts. Dry conditions also caused planting and crop development to progress behind normal. ”

“ Nutrient And Pesticide Training Workshops Nutrient and pesticide management are an integral part of most conservation management systems. Chemical and organic fertilizers, along with pesticides, are often identified resources. ”

“ The Midwest is one of the most intensively farmed regions of the U.S. It produces more than half of all U.S. corn and soybeans—crops that normally are grown with large inputs of pesticides and fertilizers. Some pesticides used by the region’s farmers have been detected in groundwater. Midwestern groundwater is also vulnerable to contamination by nitrate nitrogen. ”

“ Planting started in early March and was completed by mid May, ahead of normal. For the week ending June 17, over half of the crop was squaring, slightly ahead of normal.
Producers planted 87 percent of their upland acreage with varieties developed using biotechnology, up 4 percentage points from 2006. Stacked gene varieties, those containing both insect and herbicide resistance, accounted for the most acreage, at 42 percent, up 3 points from the previous year. Herbicide resistant varieties were planted on 28 percent of the acreage, up 2 points from 2006. ”

“ West Virginia studies of the bacterial quality of water passing through activated charcoal filters, show promise for cleaning up drinking water in home water systems. In Washington and Oregon, economic costs are being determined of farm management changes that could result from policies to abate possible nitrate build-up in ground water. ”

“ With both no-till and conventional till, pesticides aren’t reaching the deepest wells, where groundwater might be used for drinking water. Even when chemicals enter the shallower wells, they are usually well below EPA health advisory levels for drinking water. When levels approach or exceed those levels, they drop back within two or three days as the aquifer dilutes them.
Although the measurements of surface runoff only began last year, preliminary observations have confirmed that no-till can cut surface runoff and accompanying pollution by at least half. ”

“ Soil Productivity—The Key to Healthy Forests Soil condition is a good indicator of overall land productivity. Loss of soil productivity indicates a problem with the ecosystem as a whole. Soil changes are measurable and can be used to infer changes in biomass and hydrology in the rest of the ecosystem. ”

“ Technology transfer is built into the MSEA’s. The Cooperative Extension System and the Soil Conservation Service are involved in program planning, and they are developing education and action programs that will tie in with the MSEA’s. ”

“ National Animal Waste Workshop Commodity groups and individuals representing aquaculture, beef, dairy, poultry, and swine developed suggestions for additional educational and technical assistance, and research, necessary to improve each group’s response to water quality concerns. ”

“ Expectations Hydrologic unit areas, demonstration projects, and special projects will encourage landowners to respond voluntarily and independently to water quality concerns and farm or ranch management needs. As new technology becomes available, it will be used at existing and new locations. ”

“ Federal and state agencies, and the animal industries, are actively seeking ways to minimize the negative effects of animal production on water quality. Commodity group representatives requested increased educational programs and technical assistance to cover all aspects of animal waste management and water quality. ”