Open Letter to Agricultural Producers about EPA Numeric Nutrient Criteria

Here is an open letter from

the Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Bronson and Micheal Sole the Secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection encouraging all agricultural producers to sign and implement the Best Management Practices for their respective operations. Just click on the link below to read the letter.

http://www.floridaagwaterpolicy.com/PDF/OpenLetter100608.pdf

The EPA has finalized the levels for nutrients that are allowed in the waterways of Florida in order to meet water body standards of quality and reduce the amount of impaired water bodies in the state. The new standards will go in effect 15 months from now. This will require stakeholders to implement plans and remediate affects of nutrient runoff to waterways. As a producer you will eventually either verify that you are not causing nutrient runoff from your nursery or sign up and follow the FDACS Best Management Practices for Nurseries. This is extremely important that you sign up with the BMPs if you haven't done so already. You can call me to talk about it or Jemy Hinton 813-478-6630. This regulation will have far reaching consequences and as a producer you need to be proactive to minimize risk. Here is more information from an article from Growing Produce http://www.growingproduce.com/news/?storyid=4644 and here is a publication from UF about the entire Nutrient Numeric Criteria regulation entitled, "A Guide to EPA's Proposed Numeric Nutrient Water Quality Criteria for Florida" http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/SS/SS52800.pdf