May 1998: Agricultural farms in the state make significant contributions to the economy and provide other benefits such as open space and wildlife habitat. However, certain farming practices can also have potentially harmful impacts on surface and ground water. Massachusetts has a number of programs and regulations to protect water quality, including the Wetlands Protection Act. Some of the programs address certain agricultural activities, such as pesticide use. Some farmers, however, are frustrated by this piecemeal approach to regulation, and want to take a proactive approach toward protecting water quality.
Eight Towns and the Bay recently sponsored a workshop for farmers in the Ipswich and Parker basins on protecting water quality on the farm. New England Small Farm Institute coordinated and hosted the all-day workshop held at Essex Agricultural Institute, and further assistance was provided by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS).
The workshop encouraged farmers to take the lead in developing a conservation plan that addresses water quality on their farm. The focus was on farmers making an assessment of their farm and on the selection of"best management practices” (BMPs) that could be reasonably implemented to address concerns they've identified.
The workshop structure and content is based on a guide entitled “On-Farm Strategies to Protect Water Quality: An Assessment and Planning Tool for Best Management Practices,” which was produced by the New England Small Farm Institute for the Massachusetts
Department of Food and Agriculture (MDFA) and the Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management office (MCZM).
Resources for Farmers
To receive a copy of the guide, “On-Farm Strategies to Protect Water Quality: An Assessment and Planning Tool for Best Management Practices,” contact New England Small Farm Institute P.O. Box 937 Belchertown, MA 01007 (413) 323-4531
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil Conservation Service) Essex County office: Westford Field Office, 319 Littleton Rd., Westford, MA 01886, (978) 692-1904
