Explore Best Management Practices, BMPs, via a South Florida Beef-Forage Program article.
Best Management Practices, or BMPs, are defined by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) Office of Agricultural Water Policy (OAWP) as “practices or combinations of practices that, based on research, field-testing, and expert review, are determined to be the most effective and practicable means for improving water quality. BMPs must be: based on sound science, technically feasible, and economically viable for land owners.” A South Florida Beef-Forage Program article summarizes that as “The purpose of BMPs are applying researched practices that can help landowners to improve water quality on their land, these concepts must be fully researched, easy to do on your operations, and not too expensive.” Explore the topic below.
About Best Management Practices: Q & A
Q: What are examples of Best Management Practices:
A: “Some of these “practices” are nutrient management, i.e. as fertilizer, residuals and bio solids, animals nutrition, and animal waste; alternative water sources; prescribed grazing; sediment and erosion control measures; water resources management, i.e. water supply of improved pastures, ditch construction and maintenance, water control structures, installing grassed waterways; conservation buffers of waterways; fence installation near waterways or wetlands; high intensity (feeding areas, holding areas, water troughs) area management; animal carcass disposal; wellhead protection; wetlands and springs protection; prescribed burning; integrated pest management and pharmaceuticals.”
Q: Why should I report BMPs to FDACS?
A: “So agricultural operations can prove to government, the public, and anyone who asks that they are doing the best they can to help improve water quality. Agriculture is under constant scrutiny about what they are doing to improve or deteriorate the environment. When you sign up for the BMP program you sign a Notice of Intent to Implement (NOI), this is a checklist of the items that need be to implemented on your operation to be consider in compliance with the BMP program. Once you have signed your NOI and a FDACS confirms that you have applied all feasible practices to your operations you are signed up for BMPs.”
Q: Who should sign up?
A: “That is a question with a somewhat broad answer, but the truth is everyone. Even if you are a small or beginning operation you should still have a copy of the BMP manual and know what is required. That way you can know the proper ways to help improve water quality. And if you plan on expanding your operation you can start these practices from the beginning so that you not have to make changes later on down the road.”
Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.
