The St. Johns River Water Management districtThe Governing Board (SJRWMD), has officially given green light to five conservation-minded agriculture projects, totaling approximately $552,000 in cost sharing funds. The SJRWMD states that the projects will reduce water usage by 14.6 millions gallons per annum and reduce nutrient load in the Tri-County Agricultural Areas (TCAA), which consists of Flagler, St. Johns, or Putnam counties.
The board reached an agreement with selected growers to receive funds from SJRWMD. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
These farms were selected for TCAA Water Management Partnership funds
- Boardwalk Farms, Putnam County
- Larry Downes, Putnam County
- M. Seay Farms, Flagler County
- P. Wesley Smith St. Johns County
- Picolata Produce, St. Johns County
Projects include conversion of seepage to subirrigation drain tile and soil moisture probes. Precision fertilizer application equipment with GPS is also included. These five projects are expected to reduce farm water use by reducing total nitrogen loading by 4,281 lbs per year and totalphosphorus loading by 1,734 lbs per year.
Suzanne Archer, Districts Technical Program Manager, said that growers who have received agricultural cost-share agreements have expressed their gratitude repeatedly. These funds have helped them implement technology and practices that they might not otherwise have been capable of. They also create a more sustainable operation that will allow future generations to continue to farm the land.
To learn more about the District’s cost-share opportunities, visit sjrwmd.com.
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These 5 Northeast Florida Farm Projects Will Save the Environment
Paul Rusnak, Senior Online Editor, American Vegetable Grower, American Fruit Grower and Greenhouse Grower magazines, all Meister Media Worldwide brands, is his title. He is based out of Northeast Florida. You can find all author stories here.