Alisha Mulkey, a Maryland official, ran the Wednesday Agricultural Advisory Committee meeting, when members discussed an updated plan that’s being referred to as “Beyond 2025.” She highlighted the proposed revision’s aim to protect more types of land.
"And they've also explicitly added agland preservation, which is not in the current agreement," Mulkey said. "So, really thinking about 'how do we think about easements and long-term preservation of our agricultural lands across the watershed.'"
One of the issues dogging the multistate consortium is agricultural runoff. About half of the nitrogen flowing into the Bay and a quarter of phosphorus comes from farms. Increased levels of those chemicals can contribute to algae blooms and result in dead zones.
Kevin Craun is a farmer and chair of the Shenandoah Valley Soil and Water Conservation District. During the meeting, he said reaching the average farmer is a hurdle to the program’s success.
"They are businessmen and they have to make money. And the bottom line is what's important to them," Craun noted. "The soil health is not their goal, but it is something that they're trying to achieve — whether they realize it or not. We have to make that jump to say, ‘Soil health equals productivity, equals going to the bottom line and being able to stay in business.’"
The Beyond 2025 revision to the agreement is expected to be up for public comment between July and September.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
