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NUTRIENT PHOSPHORUS REDUCTIONS Farmers
Achieve Eighth Consecutive Year CLEWISTON, Fla. – August 13, 2003 – Florida sugar farmers have reduced the phosphorus in the water leaving their farms by 35% over the past year and have averaged more than 50% reductions over the past three years. According to a report released by the South Florida Water Management District today, this is the eighth straight year that farmers in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) have exceeded the 25% reduction required by the 1994 Everglades Forever Act. The results of this year's efforts to reduce phosphorus flowing south are the second lowest ever (66 ppb compared to 64 ppb). The highest reductions were achieved during a period of severe drought. "The fact that our Best Management Practices (BMPs) successfully reduced phosphorus levels to 66 parts per billion (ppb) during a more typical rainfall year is evidence of the continued efficiency of the farmers' efforts in reducing phosphorus leaving the farms," said Judy Sanchez, Director of Corporate Communications. For comparison, farm water historically averaged 173 ppb and the water flowing south from Lake Okeechobee continues to average 166 parts per billion. "The BMP program implemented by farmers far exceeds the expectations of state regulators and farm managers. Seasonal variations in rainfall and water flowing through the EAA from other sources create occasional spikes in the phosphorus counts that cannot be avoided. However, the continuing reductions achieved in overall phosphorus loadings prove the success of the BMP program. EAA farmers are continuing to fund university research and the development of new on-farm practices that will further reduce the amount of phosphorus leaving the farms," said Sanchez. The District also released results for the first year of BMP implementation in the C-139 basin, west of the 700,000-acre Everglades Agricultural Area. The smaller basin was out of compliance, releasing 77.3 metric tons of phosphorus as opposed to the goal of 70.3 metric tons. "C-139 basin farmers are disappointed in these initial results, but believe there will be improvement when the new soil and water management practices have been in place for a full year. In addition, the District is looking at data collection issues that resulted from the relocation of sampling stations, which were moved eight miles upstream from where the historical phosphorus loads were measured. This certainly creates an issue with accurately measuring and comparing the basin's phosphorus reductions," said Sanchez. "We are committed to being active and responsible partners in Everglades restoration, and farmers continue to support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan for a major re-plumbing of the entire Everglades system," said Sanchez. Please click
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