regionalagstrategyfy1011.docx
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regionalagstrategyfy1011
REGIONALAGRICULTURESTRATEGY
U.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyRegion4
FiscalYears2010-2011
Purpose
TheEPARegion4AgricultureStrategyprovidescoordinationwithEPA’sNationalStrategyforAgriculture,summarizestheRegion’spriorityactivitiesrelatedtoagriculture,anddescribestheRegion’sapproachforworkingwithagriculturalintereststo
(1)reduceanyadverseimpactsfromagriculturalactivitiesontheenvironment;
(2)improvecommunicationswithagriculturalinterestsregardingpolicies,rules,requirements,andprograms;and(3)increasetheRegion’sunderstandingofagriculturalperspectivesonenvironmentalissues.
Vision
EPARegion4willworkwithagriculturalinterests,otherfederalagencies,states,tribes,andotherinterestedpartiestoachievecontinualenvironmentalimprovementandpromotesustainableproductionofsafe,abundantsuppliesoffood,fiber,horticultural,andenergyproducts.
Background
EPARegion4servesthecitizensofeightsoutheasternstates;Alabama,Florida,Georgia,Kentucky,Mississippi,NorthCarolina,SouthCarolinaandTennessee,andsixfederallyrecognizedNativeAmericantribes.Areasinthesestatesandtribesrepresentverydiverselandscapesandresourcetreasures.ThebluegrassofKentucky,theGoldCoastoftheGulfofMexico,thebarrierreefofftheFloridaKeysandtheblack-waterswampsoftheOkefenokeearejustafewofthesecherishedtreasures,allworthyofprotection.
Agriculture
Agricultureisavitalpartoftheeconomy,culture,andhistoryoftheSoutheast.Fromaneconomicperspective,farmersandranchersprovidefood,feed,fiber,andsomefuelusingplants,animalsandtheirby-products.
Figure1.2007CashReceiptsfromagriculturecommoditiesproducedinRegion4States.
ThedirectandindirecteconomicimpactsofagriculturalproductionintheSoutheastaresignificant,
totalingover$44billioninsalesin2007(Figure1).Southeastgrowersproducemorechickenmeat,catfish,oranges,sweetpotatoesandthoroughbredhorsesthanproducersinanyotherregionandaresecondinhogproduction.StatesinRegion4alsoprovideawiderangeoffruitsandvegetables,sugarcane,soybeans,cotton,peanuts,horticulturalproductsandturfgrasses.
AgriculturealsoconstitutesthelargestlanduseintheSoutheast,including107millionacresincropland(9.4percent),147millionacresinpastureandhayfields(12.9percent),and528millionacresinprivateandpublicforests(46.4percent).
TheagriculturesectorinRegion4hasagreatopportunitytobealeaderinrenewableenergyproductionandclimatechangemitigation.Myriadagriculturefeedstocksareavailableforrenewableenergyproductionandincludechickenlitter;chicken,dairyandswinemanure;algae;fruitandvegetablewastage;sweetpotatoes,sweetsorghumandpeanuts;inadditiontothetraditionalcornandsoybeans.Theagriculturediversitymakescommunity-levelrenewableenergyproductionveryattractive.LocallyproducedenergyforlocaluseisasustainablemodelfortheSoutheast.Thesefeedstockscanbeusedtoproducebio-gas,bio-oil,biodieselandethanol;manyoftheprocessesalsogeneratethermalpower.Additionalco-productsincludeanimalfeed,organiccompostandfertilizer.
Withover45percentofthelandinRegion4dedicatedtoprivateandpublicforests,theagriculturesectorcanservetomitigategreenhousegas(GHG)emissionsfromindustrialandothersources.TheEPArecentlyreleasedtheProposedGreenhouseGasReportingRule.Inthenearfuture,itislikelythatGHGswillberegulated.Manyindustrialemittersmaybeinterestedinworkingwiththeagriculturesectortogainaccesstothelowercostcarbonoffsetsagriculturecanprovide;includingoffsetsfromforestry.Forestlandscanbemanagedtoincreasetheirremovalofcarbonfromtheatmosphere,whileprovidingwildlifehabitatandconservingandprotectingwaterquality.PrivateforestscanbeaneffectivetoolforaddressingclimatechangeastheNationmovestoalow-carboneconomy.
AstheSoutheastcontinuestogrowandurbanize,thislandbaseisshrinking.Landconversioncanhavesignificantenvironmentalimpacts.Inadditiontothelossoffood,fiber,feedandfuelproductioncapabilities,conversionmayalsodiminishmyriadotheramenities,suchasopenspace,wildlifehabitat,biodiversityandcarbonstorage.Maintaininghealthyfarmlands,ranchlandsandforestsisvitaltotheRegion’senvironmentalandeconomicfuture.
ResourceConcerns
Agriculturalproductioncanhavepotentialadverseimpactsonwaterqualityandquantity,nativeecosystems,airquality,landresources,andfarmworkers.AcrosstheRegion,agriculturalproducershavetakensignificantstepstoreducetheseadverseimpacts;however,challengesremain.
Thelackofbestmanagementpracticesorcroppingmarginalagriculturallandstogrowbiofuelfeedstockcanresultinsurfaceandgroundwaterqualityimpairment,primarilyresultingfromnutrientrichrunoffandsoilerosion.Surfacerunofffromerodingcroplandfieldsentersnearbystreamsandriverstodegradewaters.AlthoughpesticideuseintheSoutheastcanproducebeneficialresults,increasesinaccidentalexposureandmisusehavealsoresultedinenvironmentalandhumanhealthproblems.Moreover,livestockwasteandrunofffromanimalfeedingoperationsandassociatedsprayfieldscancontributetoimpairedwaterqualityandoffensiveodors.
WhiletheCleanWaterActexplicitlypreservestheauthorityofeachstatetoallocatewateramongusers,wateruseandwaterqualityissuesremaininextricablylinked.Agriculturalproductionisasubstantialuserofsurfaceandgroundwaterresources.InseveralsectionsofRegion4,theneedforwatertosupportagriculturalproductioncompeteswithotherusesforpotablewater.Intimesofwatershortage,agricultureproducershavereliedonirrigationtosustaincropyieldstherebyintensifyingthestrugglefortheremainingwaterresourcesamongcompetinguses.Theagriculturesectorcontinuestobechallengedtoimproveirrigationefficiencyandtoconserveasmuchofthispreciousresourceaspossible.
Reductionsinwaterqualityandwateravailabilitycanalsoadverselyaffectnativeaquaticecosystems.Inadditiontothousandsofmilesofriversandstreams,sixoftheeightRegion4stateshavecoastalareas.Overall,thefreshwater,marine,andestuarineecosystemscontainsomeofthehighestspeciesdiversityintheworld.Thecontinuedhealthandbiodiversityofthesesystemsdependsonthemaintenanceofhigh-qualityterrestrialandaquatichabitat.Lossanddegradationofthesehabitatsfromresidential,commercial,andindustrialgrowthanddevelopmentandchangesinproductionagricultureareamongthekeyenvironmentalchallengesfacingcoastalstates.
Region4ishometomorethan30percentofthenation’sremainingfreshwaterwetlands,includingtheEvergladesinsouthernFlorida,thesecondlargestwetlandintheworld.Theseareashaveimportanthydrological,chemical,biologicalandsocioeconomicfunctions,whichaddvaluetoplantandanimalhabitatsandhelpensureacleanwatersupply.Throughfederalfarmprograms,conversionofwetlandareasforagriculturalproductionhasbeenallbuteradicated,andinsomecases,wetlandsinagriculturalareasarebeingrestored.
Theagriculturesectoralsocontributestoairresourceconcerns.Dieselemissionsfromoff-roadequipment,includingfarmvehiclesandmachinery,canbeafactorinfineparticulatematterandairtoxicslevels.Dustgeneratedfromagriculturalactivitiesisalsohighinparticulates.Odorsassociatedwithlivestockoperationsandsprayfieldscontinuestoproducecomplaintsfromsomeresidents.Airbornechemicaldriftfromfarmingoperationshassometimesnegativelyimpactedthepublic,farmworkers,andnearbyaquaticandterrestrialecosystemsinRegion4states.
EPAResponsibilities
Region4recognizesthatfarmersandranchersmanagelargeparcelsofrurallands.Theymakedailydecisionsabouttillagepracticesandpesticideandnutrientuse.Asgoodstewards,farmersandranchershavegenerallydemonstratedtheircommitmenttoprotectlandandwaterresourcesandtheirwayoflifethroughimplementationofvoluntaryprograms.
Continuingeffortstostrengthenrelationswiththeagriculturecommunity,onOctober17,2007,EPAannouncedtheestablishmentoftheFarm,Ranch,andRuralCommunitiesFederalAdvisoryCommittee(FRRCC).TheFRRCCconsistsofapproximately30membersrepresenting:
largeandsmallfarmers,rancherandruralcommunities;ruralsuppliers,marketersandprocessors;academicsandresearcherswhostudyenvironmentalissuesimpactingagriculture;environmental,conservationandcitizens’groups;andstate,localandtribalgovernments.TheyarecurrentlyadvisingtheAdministratoronlivestockandpoultryissues,climatechangeandotheremergingtopics.
EPAisresponsiblefortheeffectiveimplementationofnumerousenvironmentallawswhichapplytoagriculturalactivities.AmongthoselawsaretheCleanAirAct;CleanWaterAct;SafeDrinkingWaterAct;FederalInsecticide,FungicideandRodenticideAct;andFoodQualityProtectionAct.Wherenecessary,EPAdevelopspolicies,regulations,andguidancetoimplementthesestatutes.AdetailedmatrixoftheselawscanbefoundattheEPANationalAgricultureCenterwebsitelocatedat:
http:
//www.epa.gov/agriculture//llaw.html
Region4sharesregulatoryresponsibilitieswithstateandtribalgovernmentsbyauthorizingappropriateagenciestoimplementandenforceprogrammaticrequirements,inaccordancewithfederallaw.Stateenvironmentalandagricultureagenciesprovideday-to-dayimplementationofprogramsforpermittingagriculturalactivities;