Overcoming the Hurdle: Addressing Implementation of Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) Through a Social Science Lens
- Published:
- October 12, 2022
- Associated with:
- Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee
The agricultural sector is a key part of the solution for achieving long-term water quality goals established by the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partnership. Current levels of best management practice (BMP) adoption on agricultural lands are not sufficient to meet pollutant reduction goals across the Chesapeake Bay watershed (CBW). In this workshop, agricultural service providers across public and private sectors were invited to propose and discuss ideas on BMP adoption and implementation garnered from their own experiences.
The main points that emerged from the workshop are: 1) BMP adoption strategies need to be flexible and adaptable to the specific circumstances of individual farm operations (i.e., one size does not fit all), and 2) conservation programs should be designed with outreach needs in mind in order to reach a much broader range of farmers, especially those in critical source areas and those who do not typically seek conservation technical assistance. The recommendations found in this report were formulated by the steering committee based on what was heard over the course of three workshop sessions.