Assessing Policies to Improve Water Quality in Agricultural Landscapes
Alfons Weersink, University Of Guelph
1. An economic-hydrologic optimization model was used to estimate the cost of abating nitrate leaching into groundwater using non-traditional best management practices (BMPs) on potato farms in Prince Edward Island. By varying the targets for nitrate abatement for hypothetical farmers on both low and high quality land, the model determined which BMPs were least-cost for each farmer.
2. A case study was conducted in the Great Lakes to better understand how farmers make decisions about nutrient management. Farmers’ actual nutrient application behaviour (based on decision-making criteria such as crop and fertilizer type) was compared to recommended application rates.
