AEM program open to farmers in watershed districts

The Monroe County Soil and Water Conservation District is participating in the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets' five year Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) Strategic Plan program. The Strategic Plan outlines a cooperative effort by the district, local watershed committees and other local agricultural or environmental groups or agencies to inform farmers, landowners and the public of the opportunities within the AEM program. Locally determined planning units, in this case watersheds, are presented and addressed in priority order. AEM has focused on Black Creek and Little Black Creek watersheds and through May 2007 will focus in the Four Mile Creek and Genesee River waterbeds. The Monroe County AEM Strategic Plan can be viewed at www.monroecountyswcd.org.

The voluntary, 5-Tiered AEM program is open to all interested farmers and agricultural landowners regardless of location in the county. AEM Tier 1 and Tier 2 are farm assessments. Tier 3 is a planning phase, and can include project-specific planning, nutrient management planning and whole farm planning. AEM Tier 4 is the implementation phase, and Tier 5 is an evaluation phase.

The district is focusing its AEM outreach program in the Four Mile Creek and Genesee River watersheds. Included in this area are all or portions of Penfield, Webster, Chili, Henrietta, Rush and Wheatland. These watersheds have been identified by the district as high priority watersheds due to the number of farms and water quality impacts that may be related to agricultural activities.

The portion of the Genesee River watershed in Chili, Henrietta, Wheatland and Rush includes significant portions of the Southwest #2 and Southeast #4 Agricultural Districts. The NYSDEC has documented that silt, sediment and nutrients due to agricultural practices are suspected of impacting aquatic life, aesthetics and recreation in the Genesee River.

Farmers and owners of agricultural land in these watersheds will receive AEM information and an AEM Tier 1 assessment form by mail. All recipients are encouraged to review the information provided and return the AEM Tier 1 assessment form to the Soil & Water District office. Participation in the AEM program allows the district to document the importance of agriculture in the county, opens up grant and funding opportunities to farmers, and makes Monroe County Soil and Water Conservation District more competitive for limited funds that will lead to water quality improvement projects on local farms. Many farmers and landowners in several Monroe County watersheds including Black Creek, Little Black Creek, Salmon Creek, Oatka Creek, Sandy and Yanty Creeks and Northrup Creek have become AEM participants in previous outreach projects. Farmers and landowners in these watersheds are eligible to continue through the AEM process.

A number of Monroe County farms involved in the AEM program have been awarded cost-share funds for planning and implementation projects through the NYS Ag Non-point Source Pollution Abatement and Control Program. Construction for some of the implementation projects will begin this year.

For information about the AEM program, call Besty Johnson at 473-2120, ext. 3 or visit www.agmkt.state.ny.us.SoilWater/AEM/AEM.html

January 28, 2007