Summary Report on Environmental Issues
John Ikerd
University of Missouri
Columbia, Missouri
Environmental Concerns Create New Opportunities for Small Farms
John Ikerd, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missour
Environmental concerns in agriculture are linked directly and inherently to large-scale, specialized, industrial farming practices and methods.
As large farms begin to consider all costs -- environmental and social as well as economic, either voluntarily or through regulations -- small farms will become more competitive with large farms.
Small farms, however, will be successful only if they take a fundamentally new approach -- adopt a new paradigm or philosophy of farming.
Environmental concerns in agriculture are linked directly and inherently to large-scale, special-ized, industrial farming practices and methods.
Success in the new approach to farming will depend on knowledge and information rather capital and production technology.
In general, the key to success for small farms in the future is to "do different things by different means" than do large farms.
Do things that big farms cannot do -- such as produce quality products for niche markets.
Avoid doing things that big farms cannot avoid doing -- such as polluting the environment and depopulating rural communities.
Conservation Provisions of the 1996 Farm Bill and Their Impacts on Small Farmers
Gary Jackson, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Needs of small farms are similar in many respects to all farms. -Efficiency of Production and Marketing,-Physical and Emotional Safety,-Environment Security
Conservation-- major environmental issue addressed by all sizes of farms in the past.
Environmental focus-- expanded to include management of total farm resources as well as conservation. Land Nutrients Wildlife/Animals/ Air/Landscapes, Culture
The current emphasis on Total Resource Mangement creates a window of opportunity for "voluntary" rather than "regulatory" action. If "voluntary" doesn't work, the "regulatory" will come.
Success with the "voluntary" requires effective partnerships from public and private sectors.
Various Provisions of the new farm bill now address a wide range of farm resource issues -- it's not just conservation any more
Research and education will be critical to implementing current farm bill provisions.
Questions of partnerships will be critical to all aspects in implementing the new farm bill.
Delivering Educational Information to Improve Water Quality
Fisseha Tegegne, Tennessee State University, Nashville
Overview:
Agriculture is the major source of non-point sourcre (NPS) pollution.
Economic and social, as well as environmental, costs are growing concerns.
Thus, we need to provide education for farmers to address all three issues.
How Do We Develop Programs?
Gather information to define the situation -- physical or natural resource, economic, and social situation.
Identify potential problems -- prioritize problems, focus on possible solutions to priority problems.
Develop educational information -- depending upon key concepts to be addressed, resources available, and benefits to be achieved.
Select appropriate modes of delivery -- ranging from mass media to one-on-one.
Program must be collaborative in nature: linking research, policy, extension, farmers, government agencies, communities, & others.
Assisting with Compliance Concerning Environmental Regulations
Phyllis Flaherty, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
A major change in philosophy concerning compliance has taken place at EPA. The emphasis now is on "Compliance Assist-ance" rather than "Enforcement."
Compliance assistance is now handled by sectors, or types of businesses, rather than by sections of environmental law.
-Each EPA person(s) is responsible for all laws that impact a particular group, such as agriculture or farmers.
-Priority is placed on making requirements easy to understand and information easily assessible to all concerned.
The focus is on voluntary compliance -- Enforcement is a last resort.
EPA people provide information, assistance, and incentives.
Penalties for "self reporting" of problems or violations have been removed.
Relationships are now adult/adult rather than and adult/child or crop/crook.
Readily accessible information is available from EPA through a whole host of programs -- all of which are designed to assist with voluntary compliance and to minimize enforcement.
Partnerships will be the key to making voluntary compliance work.
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