I think I have convinced my children that I am pretty smart. They are at the ages where they ask copious amounts of questions. And, every time they ask me a question, I have an answer for them.

“Daddy, why is this soccer ball round?”

“So it rolls after you kick it.”

“Daddy, why do we have a fireplace?”

“So we can stay warm in the winter.”

“Daddy, where do baby puppies come from?”

“Ask your mother.”

And, while it is important for all-knowing parents such as myself to have all of the answers, it is a matter of political survival for politicians. The reality is, though, that nobody has all of the answers. In the case of what to do about the oft-discussed algal blooms in Lake Erie, there are no clear answers. But, an “I don’t know” from a politician in response to an angry constituent

Is ag up a creek without a paddle on this phosphorus issue?

who got a gooey glob of blue-green algae stuck in his jet ski is not acceptable.

So, the politician offers, “That is terrible, I’ll look into it.” Soon the disgruntled jet skier becomes Lake Erie’s 5 million water drinkers and $10 billion recreation industry and there is a political cry for funding to solve the problem.

This funding goes to experts in the field, consultants, advisers and so forth, who know that the real answer is, “I don’t know.” But, it is amazing how quickly a couple of million bucks can change those, “I don’t knows” into, “We need to conduct more research into the situation in an effort to solve the problem.”

The current result is millions of dollars being poured into land use, agricultural management education, and research of a problem that may not even be solvable.

“We see signs of the problem, but the science hasn’t figured it out yet. There is no denying the pea soup in Grand Lake St. Marys, but at the same time we’re seeing close to the same thing in southeast Ohio where there are no livestock operations or nutrient applications,” said Mark Wilson, with Land Stewards, LLC in Marion. “We have science that says that dissolved reactive phosphorus will result in an algal blooms, but we don’t know the triggers. We’re going to see laws and regulations put into place and I’m a little uncomfortable with the approach that the government, USDA and Extension have taken because, while there is an educational need here, there is also some self-interest on the parts of these organizations to receive and distribute funding. The government wants to throw money at this to show they are being responsive, but nobody really understands the science of it. It makes the constituents in those areas feel like they are getting some attention from government, but in the bigger picture, it really isn’t going to make a whole lot of improvement overall.”

Even if all of the research, funding, and land use changes are a complete success and totally stop dissolved phosphorus from entering our streams and lakes (an impossibility), there is ample phosphorus already in lakes and streams to support harmful algal blooms for many, many years to come.

“We ought to be sampling stream ditches and river beds because we have a lot of legacy phosphorus that is re-suspending. There is enough phosphorus in the system that agriculture is set up to fail,” Wilson said. “This is about managing expectations. Right now there are a lot of expectations that agriculture will fix this problem and I don’t think they’ll be able to do it. People will say, ‘Look, ag hasn’t been able to get this done and we need to force them to get it done.’ But we’re not going to appreciably change the levels of dissolved reactive phosphorus because it is such a minute quantity.”

The massive government funding efforts for a “quick fix” of this extremely complex situation seem misguided on this issue when the chances of solving the problem in this manner seem so small. Wouldn’t the funding be better spent in addressing the problem in other more productive ways?

In short, this question has already been answered with a resounding “no” based on the money flowing into the area of agricultural phosphorus research that will ultimately lead to more regulations. Wilson said that this course of events is just one more step in a process that has been going on for quite some time.

“We’ve had regulation of manure application for a long time and there always has been a desire to use this as an inroad for regulating commercial fertilizer,” he said. “We’re seeing a culmination of a lot of things with this, but the government is already regulating nutrients. That step has already taken place whether farmers are feeling it yet or not.”

With all of this being said, though, these efforts are still worthwhile. Regulations or not, there is still much that can be done within agriculture to improve nutrient management, both for the benefit of disgruntled jet skiers and for farm production efficiency and profitability. Even the best nutrient stewards out there have room for some improvement on their farms with regard to this complex and challenging issue. And, there is no denying that there are bad actors out there that need to take significant steps on addressing this problem.

There is plenty to worry about in agriculture besides nutrient management, so grandstanding politicians, overflowing pots of money, state recommendations and countless farm writers filling publications with mountains of related information can’t hurt.

“There are good things that go along with putting these management practices into place, but I really don’t see significant changes taking place in the ecosystem and how these things are balanced with regard to dissolved reactive phosphorus,” Wilson said. “No matter what we do, we will have a nutrient enriched landscape that will continue to deliver nutrient enriched runoff.”

The real problems will ultimately result when good intentions based on “I don’t knows” turn into irrational regulations based on a lack of understanding. While the details about the future of this issue are uncertain, there is a general consensus that more regulations are coming, as it is unlikely that the problem of dissolved reactive phosphorus will be effectively controlled. In the meantime, farmers, crop consultants, commercial fertilizer applicators, and manure applicators need to take note of the exponentially increasing scrutiny upon them to operate in the best possible manner for the sake of environmental stewardship and the future success of their businesses. Good players will (hopefully) be tolerated, bad players eliminated and abundant research will be conducted courtesy of significant federal and state funding.

Until there is an answer on this issue, I just hope my kids don’t ask me about how we can control harmful algal blooms.

“Daddy, what causes harmful algal blooms?”

“Uhh. Politicians. Ummm, phosphorus. Uhh…jet-skiers…Ask your mother.”

“Our nation’s farmers and ranchers are a tremendous partner in helping protect the environment and this initiative gives them an additional opportunity to help address the challenges phosphorus poses to water quality in the basin,” Vilsack said. “This funding will help farmers take necessary steps to improve and protect the environmental health of the Lake Erie Basin, preserve habitat for the region’s fish and wildlife, and protect over 100,000 jobs that Lake Erie helps support.”

Senator Stabenow, Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry said: “Protecting our Great Lakes, waterways and natural resources is critical for Michigan’s economy and our way of life. Over one million hunters and anglers in our state support 46,000 Michigan jobs, and those sportsmen and those jobs depend on sound conservation. Michigan farmers are on the frontlines in the fight to protect our wildlife habitat and water quality. With common-sense, cost-effective conservation practices, our farmers will help address the serious phosphorous and nitrogen problems in the Western Lake Erie Basin—problems that seriously threaten the health of Lake Erie’s ecosystem.”

“A healthy Lake Erie is vital to Ohio’s prosperity—and achieving this goal requires a comprehensive, all-hands-on-deck strategy,” Senator Brown said. “These new resources will enable farmers to employ the best conservation practices possible and demonstrate how farmers can contribute to revitalizing Lake Erie and the recreation, tourism and boating industries the lake supports. I applaud Secretary Vilsack and the Natural Resource Conservation Service for recognizing the value of the Great Lakes, and that the benefits of agricultural conservation extend well beyond the farm.”

“I applaud the Department of Agriculture and Secretary Vilsack for taking action to protect the fish, wildlife, soil, and ecological diversity in the Lake Erie Basin,” U.S. Rep. Dingell said. “We appreciate USDA setting aside $2 million for Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to help our farmers combat the genuine threat of phosphorous in the area.  We must not let our efforts to protect the Great Lakes and the surrounding environments diminish.  The bottom line is that it takes money to keep up the good work.  These new resources show a clear commitment from USDA to help our farmers and state and local governments.”

“Our region’s future is tied to the health of the Lake Erie ecosystem,” U.S. Rep. Kaptur said. “With all the stakeholders working together, we can make the western basin one of the most sustainable places on the face of the earth.  That’s why this collaborative initiative is so vitally important.”

This announcement recognizes the critical role agriculture plays in conserving our natural resources and helps support the millions of jobs that are generated through the hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation industry. Funds will address the excess amounts of phosphorus that cause blue-green algae to grow intensively in rivers and streams where it limits oxygen concentrations in water, makes water quality improvement more expensive and impacts tourism in surrounding communities.  Applications for funding are due at local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offices by April 27.

In addition to a combination of core conservation practices, new supporting practices show promise as tools to address phosphorus runoff, such as biofilters and controlled drainage. To support this effort, USDA assembled a team of top scientists from USDA and Purdue University that developed recommended measures farmers can take to help limit phosphorus losses from agricultural operations:  reducing runoff of phosphorus by placing fertilizer and manure below the soil surface; not applying phosphorus when levels in the soil are already high; planting buffers and filter strips along ditches and streams; and establishing diverse varieties of cover crops that reduce the volume of runoff, improve soil health and provide other conservation benefits.

Today’s announcement builds on the larger Great Lakes Restoration Initiative that was established between 11 federal agencies in 2010 to address critical resource concerns, including subsurface nitrogen and phosphorous losses.  Over the past three years, NRCS in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency, has invested $75 million above and beyond its base program funding in the Great Lakes basin, most of which has been directed toward addressing nutrient and sediment concerns.  This funding is targeted both geographically—to priority watersheds that have an outsized impact on nutrient and sediment loading—and by core practices that are successful at reducing nutrient and sediment runoff.  This work is producing results; a USDA report released last fall shows that farmers in the Great Lakes basin have made tremendous strides in reducing nutrient and sediment losses from their lands.

Lake Erie

The three Departments today announced their recommendations for reducing excess agricultural nutrients from affecting or entering the western basin of Lake Erie.

“Our agencies worked with Ohio’s agricultural community to identify the best ways to decrease this nutrient loading into Ohio’s water bodies,” said David Daniels, director of the ODA. “The farmers, private companies, agricultural organizations, agri-businesses, environmental organizations and academic institutions were all asked to provide their best input, ideas, advice and guidance. That was the foundation for developing these initial recommendations.”

The report establishes the following key recommendations for action by ODNR, ODA and OEPA:

• Promote the voluntary “4R Nutrient Stewardship,” which encourages farmers to use the right fertilizer source, at the right rate, at the right time and with the right placement;
• Utilize a three-tiered, statewide structure for prioritizing the implementation of any recommendations, based upon the condition of any given watershed in Ohio;
• Coordinate research and align funding streams;
• Coordinate programmatic funding within OEPA and ODNR;
• Coordinate communication and outreach effort to farmers;
• Develop a voluntary, statewide “Certified Nutrient Stewardship Program” for farmers (ODNR);
• Provide ODA authority to better train Ohio farmers about applying commercial fertilizer;
• Expand the regulatory authority of ODA to collect more specific geographical data on where fertilizer sales are currently made;
• Clarify the authority of ODNR to aggressively pursue habitual bad actors; and
• Expand ODNR’s authority to development Nutrient Management Plans.

“There is no question that there are a variety of factors that are contributing to the increased frequency of harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie, and many of Ohio’s other streams and water resources,” said Scott Nally, director of the Ohio EPA. “Ohio’s agricultural community is not being singled out. With that being said, fertilizer is a contributing source to the problem and that’s why we felt the need to direct the ag communities’ attention to this problem and then take action.”

In addition to continuing to stress the use of the 4R nutrient management methodology, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Soil and Water Resources will be tasked with coordinating an extensive education and outreach effort, as well as developing a roadmap for implementing the other policy recommendations going forward.

“We have two goals: reduce the occurrence of harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie and make sure we protect the region’s productive agricultural base,” said James Zehringer, director of ODNR. “It’s a complex and challenging problem, and a lot more research needs to be done to fully understand the issue; but these are strong, first steps to move us closer to a healthy Lake Erie.”

In all, more than 25 organizations, government agencies, and private companies submitted their recommendations to the three directors.

The final report also includes a list of participants, summaries of the discussion points and letters submitted by organizations and individuals who participated in the working group. View the complete water quality report.

At the Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference in Ada this week, attendees were bombarded with photos charts and graphs illustrating the water quality problems in Ohio. A glass full of green ooze scooped out of Lake Erie, an algae

This bird's eye view of the Western Basin of Lake Erie shows the sediment and harmful algal blooms that hurt water quality and will likely require some changes from agriculture.

filled spray behind a jet ski, countless charts showing a steady drop then a sharp rise in phosphorus levels in Ohio’s waterways – there is no shortage of evidence that there is a problem. There is, however, a shortage of viable an across-the-board solutions to the problem.

“We know what the issue is, but we don’t know how to solve it. We need research on this. Environmental groups are just saying, ‘Well, stop using phosphorus.’ We know we can’t do that,” said Glen Arnold, with Ohio State University Extension. “We had the worst algal bloom in 40 years in Lake Erie that provides 5 million people with drinking water it and contributes $10 billion to the economy.”

The numbers though, have many scratching their heads.

“We’re using less phosphorus than we ever have before, but the amount of dissolved phosphorus is going up,” Arnold said. “Even though we are using less, more is getting away from us. And it is not a lot of phosphorus that we’re losing in terms of the total amount applied, but we have got to get it under control. Just a quarter of a pound of loss per acre can make a big difference.”

The current problem is the dissolved form of phosphorus that can move with the water through surface drainage or through tile lines.

“A pretty good chunk of that phosphorus is going out of the tile,” Arnold said. “Rainfall, tile, incorporation, surface roughness, vegetative buffers, concentrated flow areas, waterways, crop reside, tillage, and the location nutrients applied all affects the movement of nutrients off fields. We really want water to absorb into the ground if at all possible. Frozen ground and heavy rain are perfect conditions for big losses of nutrients. Don’t apply on frozen ground. Currently there are no proposed regulatory changes for the state, but it is critical for farmers to use common sense, follow good manure testing, follow soil testing agronomic recommendations, and keep good records.”

The 4R recommendations for putting the right source, at the right rate, in the right place at the right time are also crucial to remember.

“I know that the 4Rs are commonsense and elementary, but these are the types of things we are looking at and we have to get this under control,” Arnold said.

Phosphorus needs to be close to plant roots and in soils with good structure that can facilitate vigorous and productive plants. These types of soils can be developed through long-term no-till with cover crops and good drainage (from tile).

“There is a lot of difference in soil structure out there. Poor soil conditions allow for a lot of quick

Joe Nester at the CTTC in Ada.

run-off,” said Joe Nester, with Nester Ag Management in northwest Ohio. “There have been some darts thrown at no-till and I don’t necessarily buy that. There is also talk of a moratorium on tile and that would be the wrong way to go. Tile creates a much better environment to produce a crop that removes the nutrients that are there. Once water moves through it brings air into the soil and we have to make sure that tile doesn’t get evaluated poorly here. It is a matter of risk verses benefit. This is extremely complex. You can’t just take a chart and say, ‘Do this.’ The soil is a living thing and if you manage it that way you will be better off.”

The problem is such that changes will be coming to the farms are managed in Ohio.

“Rate, and timing of application will be regulated and blanket applications will not be allowed in the future,” Nester said. “You can say, ‘This can’t happen,’ but it is happening and this is an opportunity for agriculture to do something.”

With regard to managing phosphorus, the 4Rs are easy to talk about, but it is much harder to actually implement the right source, at the right rate, in the right place at the right time.

“No matter what you do, there are times where there will be run-off and enough water to lose dissolved phosphorus,” said Tom Bruulsema, with the International Plant Nutrition Institute. “Even with great practices like waterways and buffer strips, if water is flowing right through, the dissolved phosphorus is moving right along with the water. The 4Rs are very simple to say and a lot harder to do. What is ‘right?’ The 4Rs take place in the context of the cropping system.”

Right source

“Science has shown that all plants require 17 essential nutrients and we need to apply plant available forms in the amounts needed. We need to credit nutrients from composts and manure for phosphorus and choose a source that you can get placed in the soil rather than on top of the soil,” Bruulsema said.

Right rate

The right rate comes from assessing the nutrient supply in soil with soil tests to make sure the crop demand will be met. It is very important to get a representative soil sample. Some agronomists suggest moving toward yield zone- or soil type-based soil sampling systems rather than grid systems to improve accuracy and reliability of soil tests.

Right time

It is important to apply when the risk of run-off is low. When phosphorus fertilizer is left on the soil surface, any rainfall that results in run-off in the next several weeks can result in losses of the fertilizer.

“You can spilt applications for sandy soils, do more scouting and tissue sampling to improve timing,” Bruulsema said. “Cover crops do capture extra nutrients to help with the timing of fall applications, though there is not much evidence for benefits of cover crops with the loss of dissolved phosphorus.”

Right place

The right place for nutrients is where they are accessible for the crop. For phosphorus, this is not broadcast on the surface.

“Apply nutrients in field management zones based upon soil survey information and band, inject or incorporate,” Bruulsema said. “When I think about phosphorus loss in the Lake Erie Western basin, the greatest volume of run-off is likely coming form the flat, heavy clay soils of northwest Ohio. These are also likely the soils that receive fall broadcast phosphorus.”

The 4Rs are not as simple as they sound, but they will be increasingly important for many reasons.

“As farmers, we need to take stakeholder concerns seriously and apply them at the farm level,” he said. “After all, we impact the food everyone eats, the air everyone breathes and the water everyone drinks.”

The monumental problem of phosphorus fed algal blooms in Lake Erie creates conflict between two powerful forces: food and agriculture versus drinking water

Karl Gebhardt, chief of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Soil and Water Resources talks to a group at the Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference in Ada.

for 5 million people and a $10 billion recreation industry. Ohio agriculture continues to sit and wait (maybe somewhat nervously) on the inevitable announcement from Governor John Kasich concerning the 35-page summary resulting from the Phosphorus Task Force investigation into the recent surge of harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie.

“The Phosphorus Task Force started back in August. The Governor wanted a panel on this issue and there were 125 different groups represented,” said Karl Gebhardt, chief of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Soil and Water Resources at the Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference (CTTC) in Ada. “The report has been submitted to the Governor and we feel pretty certain that he will be accepting most of the components of that plan. The goals of the working group were to identify research gaps, as we do have some gaps out there. We’re going to be building the car as we go down the road with this because we don’t have 10 or 15 years to work on researching this problem.”

The task force also sought to identify the land use and nutrient management practices that could solve the problem and develop incentives and/or regulations to facilitate the implementation of those practices.

“We don’t want to penalize the farmers who are already doing the right things,” Gebhardt said. “Communication with farmers is important. We need to make sure farmers know the right things to do. We also want to make sure ag continues to be a viable industry. We don’t want to add regulations and costs for those who are already doing the right things.”

Legislators, environmental groups and consumers from around the country are closely following this process on the northern shore of Ohio and the related watersheds.

“We’re hitting two primary watersheds there in the Western Basin of Lake Erie – the Sandusky and Maumee. We’re going to be working with landowners and monitoring the impacts we are having,” Gebhardt said. “There are a lot of things coming down the road. We are not going to eat the whole elephant in one bite, but we have a lot of people watching us on this and we are moving forward.”

The problem is such that something needs to be done, but Ohio agriculture needs to make sure the resulting solutions do not place an undue burden on agriculture.

“There are a lot of things we have to think about and be worried about with this,” said Larry Antosch, with the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. “The public wants to see blue water, green pastures, and plentiful, affordable food and we have to find the right balance for those things. Politicians want black and white policy measures. They have constituents screaming in their ear, ‘Fix it yesterday!’ but we need as much information as we can get before we make any policy decisions on this.”

The bottom line is that, even with the recent investigation, there are still many questions.

“The Maumee River annual loading of dissolved reactive phosphorus steadily dropped until mid-90s and has sharply risen since then and we don’t know why. There is no smoking gun,” Antosch said. “We don’t have the answers yet, but it is hard from a political standpoint to tell people that we need 5 or 10 years to research this problem.”

The report from the Governor, which could be released at any time, will further shape the debate, but until then, Antosch can only speculate about the long term implications for agricultural fertilizer applications.

“Possible recommendations could include no winter application, no broadcast applications, certification to apply nutrients, and even a moratorium on new tile installation,” he said. “So what does this all mean? There has been a lot of discussion on this, but we could be moving away from voluntary and toward mandatory. We need to watch this to maintain our ability to farm.”

Jim Hoorman Workshop

Call (513) 732-7075 for details and to register.

OCJ: What is your experience in agriculture, and what are your general thoughts about Ohio’s agricultural industry?

Scott Nally

Scott: My agricultural experience includes management positions with Rose Acre Farms and Perdue Foods. Ohio’s agricultural industry is very healthy, and the intra-agency cooperation has been refreshing.

OCJ: What is your experience in environmental management, and what led you to become the director of the Ohio EPA?

Scott: I have more than 20 years of experience in the field of environmental management. My private sector experiences have given me the opportunity to deal with environmental regulatory schemes from many states. Most recently, I was the assistant commissioner in Indiana before becoming director for Ohio EPA.

OCJ: Could you please describe the relationship between the Ohio EPA and the U.S. EPA?

Scott: My relationship with U.S. EPA, both nationally and regionally, has been cultivated for many years. I have strategically positioned Ohio to take a leadership position on many issues. I personally sit on several influential committees and have asked my leadership team to place themselves on program specific committees. Ohio EPA has oversight of many federal regulations in Ohio, including several air and surface water pollution regulations. Our staff often works with our federal counterparts on issues such as emergency responses to spills.

OCJ: There is a lot of concern about nutrient runoff from agriculture and other sources impacting Ohio waters. What is EPA’s stance on this issue?

Scott: Nutrient impacts are a national concern (Gulf of Mexico hypoxia, Chesapeake Bay and Great Lakes). The long-term solutions will include participation from agriculture, cities/towns and businesses. Ohio EPA will help facilitate involvement from all stakeholders as we work through this complicated issue.

OCJ: What response is EPA recommending to Governor Kasich to help mitigate this issue as it relates to agriculture?

Scott: Ohio EPA, in partnership with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Ohio Department of Agriculture, has been working with Ohio’s agri-community to develop a list of recommendations to the governor and his policy team to implement short- and long-term solutions to reduce agricultural impacts to Ohio’s waters.

OCJ: Is there further research that needs to be done to determine exactly how agriculture is contributing to this problem, and if so, what?

Scott: There are research gaps that need to be fleshed out. For example, what are the impacts to tile management on Ohio’s waterways; how is dissolved phosphorus moving through the soil column; and what are the “best management practices” that can be implemented to reduce dissolved phosphorus from entering our lakes and adding to the blue green algae problems.

OCJ: Related to this, a lot of Ohio livestock farms have not been able to empty their manure storage in the best means possible over the past year because of the wet conditions. Now, some may need to do emergency applications this winter. What is EPA’s role in this scenario?

Scott: Ohio EPA will work with ODA and ODNR’s Soil and Water team to ensure that winter land applications of livestock manures are done in an appropriate manner. Practical approaches and common sense are necessary to address these issues.

OCJ: Switching gears a little, there also are water quality concerns surrounding the booming shale gas business in Ohio. What legitimate concerns exist, if any, regarding shale gas drilling and its environmental impact?

Scott: Pertaining to shale development in Ohio, Ohio EPA is working with ODNR on permit requirements related to air, drinking water, wastewater disposal and wetland/stream impacts. The interagency team is focused on addressing potential issues to eliminate or lessen their impacts.

OCJ: What environmental considerations should landowners have when considering leasing their mineral rights?

Scott: Ohio EPA will be working with ODNR and shale gas drillers to protect streams and wetlands and to ensure all required permit conditions are followed including air emissions. People also need to be mindful of their personal well water protection and to make sure their home septic systems are in good working order. Heavy equipment could potentially crush finger home septic systems.

OCJ: We’ll end on a lighter note. Rumor has it that one of your hobbies is diving and swimming with different species of sharks in their natural habitat. For most people, swimming with the sharks would be considered an unwelcome threat. However, you would disagree. Could you please explain?

Scott: Swimming with sharks puts the rest of life’s issues in perspective. Also, sharks are a key component to a healthy oceanic ecosystem and remind me of the importance of my daily job as director of Ohio EPA.

Jim Hoorman Full Wrap

AURI’s study is focused on bioreactors, also known as biofilters, which have historically been made from wood chips or straw. The high cost of these products encouraged AURI to research other available materials producers could use. AURI is evaluating and comparing the effectiveness of agricultural residues versus wood in bioreactors, offering a potential use for agricultural byproducts such as corn stover and wheat and barley straw. These fibers could also increase bioreactor efficiency, improve drainage water quality and potentially increase the number of acres that a single reactor can treat.

“Bioreactors can reduce nitrate concentration in drainage water by 30 to 70 percent, which is substantial,” said Gary Feyereisen, agricultural engineer with the USDA Agricultural Research Service in St. Paul.