In November 2022, the PA Department of Environmental Protection announced their 2021-2022 agricultural compliance data in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, which resulted from visits to 10.5% of the farmland in PA's portion of the watershed.
The goal of these visits was to ensure that farms required to have completed manure managements plans, nutrient management plans, or agricultural erosion and sediment control plans actually have their plans in place and are implementing the best management practices (BMPs) outlined in the plans.
These BMPs help reduce nutrient and sediment pollution in streams and rivers, thus improving water quality in the watershed. Some of these BMPs include efficient fertilizer application, no-till farming, cover crops, riparian buffers, streambank fencing, proper manure storage, and prescribed grazing.
For more information and to see the results of the agricultural inspections, please see DEP Documents Farmers' Efforts in 2021-2022 to Improve Water Quality in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
CWQE Staff Agent
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