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Using Market Principles to Reduce Nitrogen Losses
Sand County Foundation has developed a multi year voluntary initiative to address the growing problem of surface and ground water contamination from farmland leaching and discharge of nutrients. Focuses of this program are to address localized environmental problems as well as problems such as hypoxia that manifest themselves in locations that are far removed from the lands where nutrient management practices are implemented. Sand County Foundation hopes to start to address these problems through the use of a market based incentive. The agricultural community will be the driving force behind this plan so that the initiative will not have to overcome mistrust between the agricultural and environmental communities. Discovery Farms will serve as the lead agricultural expert through the plan to advise Sand County Foundation on design and implementation of farmer outreach programs, specific nitrogen and nutrient conservation practices, and communication about the initiative in the farm community.
The Rock and Milwaukee watersheds of Ozaukee, Dodge, and Washington counties have been selected as the location of the initial market based test. These watersheds were picked because they are nitrogen impaired and have a variety of types of agriculture. Also the Rock and Milwaukee Rivers drain into the Mississippi River and Lake Michigan.
