Educating farmers about the best ways to conserve and protect water resources is an important part of the Water Quality Initiative.

Targets commercial producers of agricultural and forestry commodities. Emphasis on Integrated Crop Management (ICM) for agricultural production and Best Management Practices (BMPs) for forestry.

Targets farmers and educates them on wellhead protection, pesticide use (mixing, loading, and storage), vehicle management, nutrient management, drainage, and tillage.

Targets homeowners, golf course management and workers, general public, farmers, and state, city, and county employees. This program will educate through workshops, publications, and video training tapes about pond management, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), and BMPs.

Targets livestock owners, horse owners, stable owners and mangers, dog kennel owners, and government officials. It highlights best stable management practices, pasture management (fencing of streams and ditches), buffer zones (demonstrations), nutrient management, and waste management.

Targeting landowners, this program provides an introduction to water-quality forestry BMPs in the basic course. The advanced course, Master Tree Farmer 2, provides detailed instruction on forestry BMPs.

Teaches landowners water-quality forest BMPs. This thrust also covers logger education about forestry BMPs through the Department of Forest Resources TOP Logger program.

Agrisystems and Profitability contains three self-tests you can take to assess your knowledge of the best ways to conserve and protect water resources.

Pesticides Self-Test

Fertilizer Self-Test