WERA_OLD103: Nutrient Management and Water Quality
(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)
Status: Inactive/Terminating
WERA_OLD103: Nutrient Management and Water Quality
Duration: 10/01/2001 to 09/30/2006
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Statement of Issues and Justification
Nutrients utilized for the production of food, feed and fiber have been implicated in the general trend of decreasing water quality. In the West, competition for water among end users has heightened the awareness of potential sources of water quality degradation. Federal agencies and land grant institutions are responding to Congressionally mandated programs to identify and reduce the potentially negative impact of nutrient management on the environment. Best management practices (BMP's) are currently being developed in several western states and may be precursors of regulation of nutrient management plans regulated by federal agencies.
The BMP's are developed by agency and land grant scientists for implementation by extension and industry agronomists. Scrutinizing current nutrient management practices and developing better practices will provide impetus to strengthen our soil, water and plant nutrient monitoring. Quantifying nutrient cycling in natural systems may provide insight to mechanisms prevalent in managed systems. Credible soil, water and plant analytical information will be increasingly important as these data may detmine nutrient application rates if nutrient management becomes regulated. The accreditation of laboratories offering analytical services on agricultural samples could significantly increase the cost of these services to the consumer, perhaps unnecessarily. The need for increased standardization of regional analytical techniques is apparent and would be initiated and maintained by this coordinating committee.
Objectives
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To improve nutrient management recommendations based on soil, water and plant analysis results and other management strategies in the western region by: a) exchanging nutrient correlation and calibration data b) working toward uniformity of recommendations across state boundaries and incorporating new analytical and interpretive methodology c) coordinating research and educational projects.
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To develop more effective use of soil, water, plant, compost, etc. analysis information in the following priority areas: a) reducing environmental impact of nutrient application from fertilizer, manure, biosolids, etc. b) assessing nutrient cycling in natural and managed systems c) improving nutrient use efficiency to increase profitability d) developing improved nutrient sampling methodology and recommendations e) improving regional laboratory analytical accuracy and precision.
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To improve extension education in the use of soil, water and plant analysis for environmentally sound crop production practices by: a) coordinating regional efforts among government agencies, private industry and universities b) encouraging communication of research needs from extension specialists and private industry representatives to government and university researchers c) providing a forum for discussion of research results and subsequent regionally coordinated technology transfer.
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Procedures and Activities
Expected Outcomes and Impacts
- The overall expected outcome of the activities of WCC-103 is to increase the ability of western Land Grant Universities to meet the needs of clientele. This will be accomplished by addressing issues across state boundaries. Activities will address current and pending challenges in nutrient management and water quality. The research, extension and private sector representation on WCC-103 allows this committee to be very effective. Continued support of the Western States Proficiency Testing Program as it expands and becomes the North American Proficiency Testing Program for Soil and Plant Analysis Labs will demonstrate agricultures effort to continually improve the accuracy of laboratory results. Accuracy of laboratory results becomes increasingly important as soil and plant testing are used as part of nutrient management programs to protect and improve water quality. The Western States Proficiency Testing Program Manual will be reviewed and published as the 2nd edition of the Western Regional Publication: Standard Methods of Water, Soil, and Plant Analysis. This publication will also be placed on a regional web site. The major educational effort of the committee will be to continue holding the Western Nutrient Management Conference. This semiannual conference is scheduled for March 4-5, 1999 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The conference attracts university and industry personnel from across the west. The conference proceedings are published and in 1999 will be placed on a regional web site. To improve nutrient management recommendations across state lines, the committee will produce regional nutrient management guides for potatoes and onions. WREP-43 Critical Nutrient Ranges for Northwest Crops will be updated to expand coverage of crops and states. An effort will be initiated to develop a soil sampling guide for the western states outlining principles/methods of soil sampling for precision agriculture. Emphasis on manure management to limit potential nonpoint phosphorus pollution continues to grow nationally. A subcommittee of WCC-103 will be established to investigate the relationship between soil test phosphorus and the movement of phosphorus across and through soils to help support sustainable animal production systems. This effort will be linked to the national group working in the area of nonpoint phosphorus pollution.
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationEducational Plan
The educational component of WCC-103 will focus on delivery of the latest BMPs and other technology to both educators and end users. The Western Nutrient Management Conferences and their proceedings give research and extension personnel an opportunity to share their findings across the west. These conferences also foster additional cooperative research and extension efforts.
Coordination with the North American Proficiency Testing Program and associated publications will educate the agricultural industry as well as other interested groups about continuing advances in soil and plant analysis. This effort will support soil and plant analysis programming across the region.
Planned publications outlined under expected outcomes will support state faculty and industry personnel in their ongoing educational efforts in nutrient management and water quality. The efforts of the groups producing these publications will help focus research efforts on those areas where additional data is needed.
Organization/Governance
Committee Chair provides leadership for the committee and is responsible for coordination with the Western Directors and for planning the annual meeting. Committee Chair Elect provides support to chair and becomes chair. Secretary is responsible for submitting minutes and state reports from annual meeting and becomes chair elect. Officers serve for one year.
Committees are established as needed to meet the planned programming of WCC-103.
Literature Cited