Project Number: 6612-61660-002-07
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 29, 2006
End Date: Apr 14, 2010

Objective:
1) Evaluate crop/forage rotations for the southeastern U.S. market for beef production, "horse quality forage", and poultry feed in agronomic and economic terms; 2) Determine nutrient concentrations in runoff and in stream water upstream and downstream of farm-fields with and without crop/forage rotations; 3) Share results with agronomic and animal production farmer groups in Georgia and North Carolina, and develop information exchange tours between those groups; and 4) Evaluate water quality with a farmer (participatory means of investigation).

Approach:
This is phase II of this research project. Historical (5 yr) water quality data (upstream, downstream, and runoff losses) will be compared to water quality data obtained during and after management changes to evaluate the impact of land management systems on farm profitability and water quality (N, P, and periphyton), using a paired-watershed approach and economic evaluations. Historical practices (>5 yr) include unimproved hayfields and grazed pastures. New practices on previously grazed sites include integrating grazing with crop/forage systems overseeded with cereal rye. This is one of several (approximately 12 sites) to be evaluated. Evaluation sites are located on-farm, upstream and downstream of farm fields, as well as at the edge-of-field for runoff collection. Nitrogen and P in base flow (grab samples taken twice a month), storm flow (taken from rising flow in-stream samplers after every runoff generating rainfall event), and runoff will be determined. Comparisons of upstream and downstream N and P concentrations will be made before (5 yr) and after on-farm management changes (3 yr).