High water quality has been a valuable resource in North Florida over its history.  In the late 1800s and early 1900s, tourists sought its peaceful rivers and numerous sparkling clear freshwater springs.  Today, tourists still visit North Florida looking for a real experience in natural settings.  Therefore, protecting water quality remains a central focus to all North Florida residents.  Agricultural nutrient management programs are an important part of protecting these water resources.  The NFREC is actively involved in demonstrating Best Management Practices (BMPs) that protect ground and surface water quality in North Florida.  Since this area is largely rural, agriculture remains one of the dominant economic resources. 

The major agricultural commodities produced in North Florida are dairy, poultry, beef, vegetables, watermelon, corn, tobacco, timber, forages, peanuts, and cotton.  Agriculture in northern Florida is very diverse, and is considered a preferred lifestyle for many inhabitants.  

Soils of North Florida are sandy, and have little capacity to retain nutrients and water, so they have a high potential for leaching nutrients below the root zone, and possibly into ground and surface water resources. Sound fertility programs will only apply nutrients needed by the crop.  Collecting soil samples and applying nutrients at recommended rates is important, as is applying the nutrients when the crop can receive the most benefit from it.  Sound irrigation water management programs strive to provide sufficient soil moisture for competitive crop growth without risking nutrient leaching, and degrading water quality.  Demonstrating these BMPs is just one of the many educational programs at NFREC. 

There are a number of important programs underway in North Florida that all focus on protecting water quality resources.  From federal cost share to working with growers one on one, there is a strong effort to encourage environmental awareness through sound nutrient management planning.  The NFREC is actively involved in these programs, and a few are highlighted here: 

Suwannee River Partnership (SRP)

The SRP is a growing coalition of more than 40 federal, state, local and industry partners working together to reduce nitrate loadings to North Florida groundwater resources, as well as the Suwannee and Sante Fe Rivers.  This partnership supports non-regulatory programs that rely on volunteer participation from area growers, and has received state-wide recognition on the success it has had so far.  UF/IFAS is an active member of the SRP, and is deeply involved in supporting EPA319 Projects demonstrating BMP effectiveness.  The goal of these projects is to determine the actual effects BMPs have on groundwater quality in numerous production systems.  Farming systems currently being evaluated are:  dairy, poultry broiler production, traditional row crops, vegetables on plasticulture, Silviculture, and forages. 

Livestock Waste Management

Dairy, poultry and beef production within the Suwannee Valley area are numerous, and as animals are concentrated, livestock waste issues become more prevalent.  To support livestock producers manage livestock waste more effectively, the Livestock Waste Testing Lab operating out of NFREC-SV, analyzes these livestock wastes for their nutrient content, and then recommends appropriate rates for land application.  This service is currently provided to growers at no cost, thanks to support from grants received from several state agencies and grower organizations.  

Examples of on-going projects in nutrient and water management include:

• Determining optimum irrigation rates for vegetables with drip irrigation.

• Relating N fertilization and irrigation to N leaching under vegetable crops.

• Investigating drip irrigation run-time impacts on N leaching.

• Determining nutrient management programs for nursery crops.

• Determining nutrient management BMPs for vegetables including watermelon and tomato.

• Determining irrigation programs for corn and cotton.

• Demonstrating BMPs on a commercial scale for potato, sweet corn, and carrot.

• Calibrating soil test methods for vegetables and field crops for phosphorus and potassium.

• Calibrating petiole sap test procedures for determining nutrient concentration in the field for nitrogen.

• Calibrating manure testing procedures and mineralization rates for plastic mulched vegetables.

• Evaluating controlled-release fertilizers for vegetables.

For more information regarding these programs visit Fertilizer and Manure Management page at the NFREC-Suwannee Valley  website.  [Hochmuth-G, Randell]

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