Agriculture Workgroup
Upcoming Meetings
April 15, 2021
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Agriculture Workgroup Conference Call, April 2021
Export this Event >>May 20, 2021
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Agriculture Workgroup Conference Call, May 2021
Export this Event >>June 17, 2021
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Agriculture Workgroup Conference Call, June 2021
Export this Event >>Scope and Purpose
The charge of the Agriculture Workgroup is to provide expertise and leadership on development and implementation of policies, programs, and research to reduce pollutant loads delivered from agricultural lands and animal operations to upstream waters and the Chesapeake Bay. The Workgroup reports to the Water Quality Goal Implementation Team. Functions include:
- Provide a forum for discussion, exchange of information, and evaluation between federal, state, and local agencies, conservation districts, universities, agri-business, and the corporate sector on sustainable and/or cost-effective agricultural production systems that benefit water and air quality.
- Provide recommendations on the prioritization of federal and state technical and financial resources on specific practices in priority watersheds.
- Provide technical expertise and leadership to support the development and implementation of agricultural elements within the Chesapeake Bay TMDL, Watershed Implementation Plans, two-year milestones, and tracking and reporting mechanisms that support an adaptive management approach towards Bay restoration.
- Coordinate with WQGIT Watershed Technical Workgroup to identify, define, quantify, and incorporate pollutant reduction and conservation practices on agricultural lands and animal operations into the Chesapeake Bay Program decision support system. Provide data and support for the Water Quality Goal Implementation Team and Technical and Support Services.
Projects and Resources
Agriculture Workgroup Chesapeake Assessment Scenario Tool (CAST) Issues Tracker
The below Chesapeake Assessment Scenario Tool (CAST) Issues Tracker records concerns that have been raised by jurisdictions in relation to agricultural data inputs. The tracker is a living document and will be updated regularly as progress is made on the issues or new issues are raised.
- CAST Issue Tracker 02.15.2021 (15.21 KB)
Agriculture Workgroup Governance Protocol & Membership
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Governance Protocol (Approved 3/15/18) (491.87 KB)
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AgWG At- Large Membership, Feb. 2021 (88.47 KB)
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AgWG Signatory Membership, Mar 2021 (35.1 KB)
Resources for Virtual Meetings
User-friendly guides to avoid common audio or visual problems with virtual meetings. Both presenter and participant guides are available, please review them if you are having any trouble in virtual meetings.
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ZOOM Best Practices for Participants (300.01 KB)
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ZOOM Best Practices for Presenters (151.52 KB)
Resource Improvement Practice Report
The Resource Improvement (RI) Practice Definitions and Verification Visual Indicators Report provides information regarding the collection and verification of non-cost-shared agricultural best management practices that meet CBP definitions and establish definitions and verification methods for Resource Improvement Practices.
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Resource Improvement Practice Report (2.46 MB)
Recommendations to Estimate Poultry Nutrient Production in the Phase 6 Watershed Model
Phase 6 Agricultural Land Uses
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Phase 6 agricultural land uses 052815 (173.45 KB)
Agricultural BMP Expert Panels
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Guidance for Submission of Documentation Needed to Address the Phase 6 Nutrient Management BMP Language Agreed to by the Chesapeake Bay Program Partnership (236.69 KB)
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Final Report for Agricultural Stormwater Management Practices (approved June 2018) (537.41 KB)
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Final Report for Turkey Litter Generation and Nutrient Content in the Phase 6 Watershed Model (approved Dec 2016) (1.61 MB)
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Final Report for Animal Waste Management Systems in the Phase 6 Watershed Model (approved Dec 2016) (3.32 MB)
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Final Report for Manure Incorporation and Injection Practices in Phase 6 Watershed Model (approved Dec 2016) (1.5 MB)
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Final Report for Conservation Tillage Practices in Phase 6 Watershed Model (approved Dec 2016) (1.77 MB)
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Final Report for Nutrient Management Practices in Phase 6 Watershed Model (approved Nov 2016) (5.34 MB)
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Final Report for Cover Crop Practices in Phase 6 Watershed Model (approved Dec 2016) (1.5 MB)
Publications
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December 12, 2019
Recommendations of the BMP Expert Panel for Cropland Irrigation
Executive Summary
This Expert Panel was charged to determine the water quality benefit associated with the practice of irrigation on cropland, a practice of specific importance on the Delmarva Peninsula region of the...
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March 30, 2020
Recommendations of the BMP expert panel for agricultural ditch management practices
The Agricultural Ditch Management BMP Expert Panel convened in 2016 and deliberated to develop the recommendations described in this report in response to the Charge provided to the panel by the Agriculture Workgroup...
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January 18, 2018
Recommendations Regarding Agricultural Stormwater Management Practices
WQGIT approved final report from the Agricultural Stormwater Management Expert Pane Establishment Group.