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the cost of programs and the level of pollution related to their agricultural enterprise. 

 Producers who carefully apply pesticide products following label recommendations, 

 soil test and apply only appropriate amounts of nutrients, properly dispose of chemical 

 containers, protect their soil resources from erosion, and implement other appropriate 

 practices are not likely to be causing water pollution problems. There are some soil 

 resources, however, that are especially vulnerable to either runoff or leaching of 

 chemicals, where even the best producers will have difficulty in selecting and 

 implementing appropriate pollution prevention practices. Those areas should be 

 identified by utilizing environmental monitoring techniques and then should be 

 considered for targeted program efforts by agencies. Also, as is true in any industry 

 there is a small, yet highly visible, number of recalcitrant producers who refiise to 

 change environmentally destructive practices and will not voluntarily implement 

 necessary best management practices. Such situations should receive special attention 

 from governmental agencies. Even though such producers are relatively few in number 

 they create a condition that may reflect poorly on all agricultural operators and in some 

 cases provide them with an unfair competitive advantage. 



Policy Recommendations 



Following is a description of recommended levels within a "tiered and targeted" concept for 

 watersheds to provide the basis for development of programs to deal with agriculmral and 

 other related water quality issues: 



Level I Watersheds (No water quality problems detected) 



Level I watershed programs would be purely voluntary, with an emphasis on 

 education, technical assistance and applied research regarding appropriate 

 management practices . Broad-scope education and demonstration programs 

 would be carried out in these areas to assure agricultural producer 

 understanding of potentials for any negative effects caused by production 

 practices. Cost-shares could be made available through the existing ACP 

 program or other programs focused on encouraging implementation of desirable 

 practices. Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Integrated Crop Management 

 (ICM) and Integrated Farm Management (IFM) would be made available on a 

 voluntary basis. Sustainable agriculture practices would be stressed through 

 agency programs. As part of the education outreach, the Extension Service, 

 Soil Conservation Service and soil and water conservation districts would work 

 with producers to help them develop voluntary, comprehensive farm 

 management goals and to implement practices that protect water quality and the 

 environment. Such management assistance would target specific problems 

 relevant to the producer's unique environment, while addressing his or her 

 economic and production goals. The mandate for such activities was provided 

 in the 1990 FACTA (Titles XIV and XVI). 



Level II Watersheds (moderate pollution problems detected). 



March 23, 1994 



