CENTRAL QUESTIONS

Summit for Finding Common Ground in Controlling Agricultural Nonpoint Sources of Nutrients

THE SUMMIT

Purpose

Accepted Principles

Central Questions

Participants

Logistics

Reports

EUTROPHICATION

What is it?

U.S. Assessments

International Efforts

Management Programs

AGRICULTURAL SOURCES

Relative Importance

Fertilizers

Animal Wastes

Soil Mineralization

Management Practices

Cover Crops

POLICIES

Economic Analyses

Clean Water Act

State Statutes

Pending Legislation


The following are central questions that are being addressed in the Common Ground Summit is based:

1.       Where and to what degree should nutrient loadings from agriculture be reduced in order to restore aquatic ecosystem health?

2.       Which crop production practices will be most effective in reducing excessive nutrient loads to these surface waters?   Under which conditions are they most effective?

3.       What are the most effective strategies for managing controlling nutrient loads resulting from concentrated animal production, including application of wastes on croplands?

4.       How can nutrient loadings from agricultural landscapes be effectively managed on a watershed scale?   What roles should wetland and riparian restoration play?   Can efforts be geographically targeted to optimize cost-effectiveness?   To what degree would watershed approaches facilitate nutrient trading schemes?

5.      How can nutrient management strategies accommodate or take advantage of environmental variability and change?

6.       What are the impediments to implementing effective nutrient management strategies?   How can policies be adjusted to effect desired environmental outcomes and appropriately assign costs?

Last updated September 17, 2001