Policymakers are seeking cost effective methods to reduce nutrient pollution from agriculture. Predicted costs and pollution reductions from nutrient management and buffers are evaluated under four spatial scenarios describing a watershed. Results will help policymakers evaluate alternative Best...

According to a Virginia-North Carolina watershed survey, farmers view advisory services as having the effect of decreasing pesticide use. However, analysis of pesticide use shows that hired staff, scouting personnel, and extension agents are associated with higher pesticide toxicity applied to...

Water quality and the need for pollution control in agriculture are well-established concerns in the United States. This paper addresses the effectiveness of using site-specific or spatial information to predict farm responses to a practice-standard NPS pollution control policy and the...

On a Virginia crop farm, alternative levels of information are evaluated for managing nitrogen applications based on soil properties and yield potential. Application of variable rates of nitrogen based on crop yield potential can increase profitability and reduce nitrogen pollution potential.

In response to economic and environmental concerns, Water-Recycling Technologies (WRT) have been developed to reduce water consumption and surface run-off in horticultural operations. Water recirculation provides the potential for water conservation and may also reduce grower costs in the long...

Replaced with revised version of paper 07/23/09.

Rotational grazing can potentially reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from animal operations. This study investigates potential GHG reductions from rotational grazing farm operations under alternative procedures for defining a carbon credit. As applied to a case study cow-calf operation, GHG...

The effects of phosphorus (P)-based nutrient management plans on economic and environmental risks of dairy and dairy-poultry farms in Virginia were evaluated. Phosphorus-based nutrient management plans can greatly reduce P runoff risk but also reduce farmers' returns. P-based plans cause greater...

Emission trading programs have been discussed with respect to achieving water quality objectives and future caps on carbon emissions. A significant part of this literature explores the institutional and technical design issues associated with trades involving nonpoint effluent sources and carbon...

Reducing costs of controlling nonpoint source (NPS) pollution will be a high public priority in the next century. Compliance and transaction costs of reducing nitrogen runoff from dairies in the Lower Susquehanna Watershed by 40% are estimated for perfectly targeted and uniform performance...