GREELEY, Colo. — Farmers can now check out the latest-and-greatest methods pertaining to optimum nitrogen and phosphorous fertilizer management, thanks to another edition of Colorado State University Extension’s “Best Management Practices” publications, which are available online, while print versions can be found at the Colorado Corn office (127 22nd St. in Greeley), among other locations.
Best management practices, or BMPs, are recommended farming methods aimed at preventing or reducing water pollution.
Implicit within the BMPs concept is a voluntary, site-specific approach to enhancing water quality.
Development of BMPs in Colorado has been accomplished largely at the local level, with significant input from chemical applicators and other experts.
In 1990, the Colorado Legislature passed a bill to establish the Agricultural Chemicals and Groundwater Protection Program, aimed at preventing contamination of water resources from applications of agricultural inputs, such as nitrogen and phosphorous.
The approach to achieving the Agricultural Chemicals and Groundwater Protection Program’s goals has been promoting voluntary adoption of BMPs — to not only improve water quality, but also public perception of ag, while also perhaps eliminating the need for regulation and mandatory controls.
Many of these methods are already standard practices, known to be both environmentally and economically beneficial.
— Eric Brown, Colorado Corn
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