Agricultural Environment Management

Targeting Agricultural Conservation Practices and Programs
USDA. NAL. Water and Agriculture Information Center.
Searches for article citations in the NAL catalog (AGRICOLA) on environmental targeting of conservation practices and programs. The dynamic bibliography on Modeling and Water Resources may also have information relevant to targeting conservation practices. "Environmental targeting refers to the practice of directing program resources to lands where the greatest environmental benefit is generated for a given expenditure, or alternatively, specific environmental goals are achieved for the least cost." [Definition from: Economic Valuation of Environmental Benefits and the Targeting of Conservation Programs: The Case of the CRP.]

Evaluation of Agricultural Best Management Practices
USDA. NAL. Water and Agriculture Information Center.
Read publications and/or abstracts on the topic; also see citations of older documents.

Riparian Zones and Filter Strips in Agricultural Operations
USDA. NAL. Water and Agriculture Information Center.
Read publications and/or abstracts on the topic; also see citations of older documents.

Nutrient Management
NAL. Water and Agriculture Information Center.
Offers dynamic searches of the NAL catalog (AGRICOLA) article and book citations on nutrient management and its effects on erosion and sedimentation, nitrogen, pathogens, pesticides, phosphorus, and fish and wildlife.

Publications from the Long-term Agroecosystem Research Network
National Agricultural Library.
The USDA Agricultural Research Service Long-Term Agroecosystem Research network consists of 18 Federal and university agricultural research sites with an average of over 50 years of history. The goal of this research network is to ensure sustained crop and livestock production and ecosystem services from agroecosystems, and to forecast and verify the effects of environmental trends, public policies, and emerging technologies.

Electronic Field Office Technical Guide
USDA. Natural Resource Conservation Service.
Provides state conservation practice standards, localized to provide specific technical guidance for exact geographic locations. Tools may include databases, computer programs and electronic documents.

National Conservation Practice Standards
USDA. Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Full text of practice standards for all NRCS conservation practices. Also provides associated work sheets and supplementary information where available.

Sustainable Agriculture: Tracer Bullet Series
Library of Congress.
Useful library pathfinder guide to available books, articles and other materials on the subject of sustainable agriculture.

Agriculture in Harmony with Nature II (PDF | 3.2 MB)
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Outlines Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's strategy for sustainable development policy.

ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
National Center for Appropriate Technology.
Features news and publications on production practices and alternative management systems.

Environmental Quality
USDA. Economic Research Service.
Recommends research material, such as publications, data, and maps, on the economics of conservation and environmental policy. Also see from ERS, Agricultural Resources and Environmental Indicators.

Effects of Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) on Hydrologic Resources and the Environment
DOI. USGS. Office of Water Quality.
Describes efforts to study the impact of CAFOs on water in the environment. Includes conference proceedings, a bibliography and a list of research study areas.

Animal Feeding Operations
USDA. Natural Resource Conservation Service.
Offers assistance to AFO owners and operators "to achieve their production and natural resource conservation goals through development and implementation of comprehensive nutrient management plans (CNMPs)."

Stream Restoration, Ecology and Aquatic Management Solutions - STREAMS
Ohio State University.
An initiative to "improve communication across disciplines and provide the timely delivery of knowledge and data on stream processes, watersheds, and design concepts."

Cornell Composting
Cornell Waste Management Institute.
"Provides access to a variety of composting educational materials and programs developed at Cornell University."

Land and Water Development Division (NRL)
UN. Food and Agriculture Organization.
"Concerned with the development of technology, strategy and policy, and the provision of advisory and technical services to ensure a more productive and efficient use of land and water resources and plant nutrients in order to meet present and future food and agriculture demands on a sustainable basis."

Nutrient and Pest Management
USDA. Natural Resource Conservation Service.
Provides links to management planning tools and related information.

Variable Source Area Hydrology
Cornell University. Soil and Water Laboratory.
"Provides a tool for educators, extension personnel, environmental managers, and interested individuals to help in understanding and identifying variable source hydrology in the environment."

Video

Nabbing Nitrates: Before Water Leaves the Farm
Iowa State. Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture.
"The series - entitled "Nabbing Nitrates before water leaves the farm" - consists of 4 animated videos illustrating what happens below the ground to remove nitrates when the following conservation practices are implemented: Conservation Drainage, Riparian Forest Buffers, Working Wetlands, and Bioreactors." English and Spanish versions available.

Nutrient Reduction Successes
Sourcewater Collaborative.
Part of the Collaborative's Learning Exchange – "a platform for discussing current challenges, sharing stories, and transferring knowledge on source water protection (SWP)."

Environmental Management Systems
EPA. National Agriculture Compliance Assistance Center.
"EPA encourages organizations to use environmental management systems (EMSs) that improve compliance, pollution prevention, and other measures of environmental performance."

Nutrient Management and Fertilizer
EPA. National Agriculture Compliance Assistance Center.
Covers legal guidance, regulations, and laws for fertilizers made with biosolids and other wastes; and manure used as fertilizer.