The meeting was called to order: at 9:45 AM by Craig Schutt.

Dave Zorn, Genesse Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council, distributed the draft RPP (Restoration & Protection Plan) and the May IO newsletter. Sections of the agricultural recommendations section of the draft RPP were reviewed and corrections/additions were made after discussion of each part. (These corrections can be found at http://www.gflrpc.org/cayagprac.htm)

Discussion on the corrections/additions to the agricultural recommendations sections of the RPP are as follows:

- The Technical Committee will include a section on stormwater.

- Dan Dostie was unable to attend today’s meeting, but provided Craig Schutt with his comments.

The correct NRCS standards must be included in the Ag. section of the RPP.

- The cost portion of item “A1a” should be clarified; nutritional management should also be added. There are educational/outreach meetings held on nutritional management. If more funding were available, a part-time person might be hired to teach nutritional management.

- Discussion on the cost of CNMP development. The cost includes soil samples. Janice mentioned that a soil sample should not exceed 20 acres.

- Dave mentioned the cost of manure application since this is part of a Nutrient Management Plan.

- Lyn explained tillage as it relates to cover crops. He asked if any Nitrogen loading has been seen. He explained how cover crops can pose another problem, in that the existing crop must be eradicated before planting a cover crop.

- Discussion on buffers, Conservation Reserve Program and benefits.

- The discussion on the recommendations was mainly concerned with the cost per acre for each farm. This varies with soil type, slope, farm type, etc. Some costs will be carried by the farmer and other will be cost-shared with programs, such as EQIP.

- Counties can change the cost-share rates in EQIP, but they can not go beyond the rates set by the Federal Government. Our cap for EQIP is $150,000 per year.

- Discussion on the cost of 2 strand, high tensile fencing, approximately $1 per foot installed.

- Discussion on the cost of restoration of eroding streambanks.

- Approximate cost of Ag. Waste Management Plan = $25 per acre.

- Cost of IPM scouting was discussed.

- Tompkins County will do a “Clean Sweep” program this year. The Water Resources Council received a $15,000 grant for this project.

- Discussion on the marketing of agricultural by-products.

- Discussion on including an “Emergency Action Plan”. There is a section on this in the CAFO plans.

- Discussion on how data can be obtained for effectively implementing IPM techniques. Janice suggested working with the DEC and use their data to form our own database.

- Liz asked how it might be shown that the RPP was instrumental in tracking pesticide use.

- The Seneca Lake Watershed brochure was mentioned. Craig found out that the development of such a brochure for the Cayuga Lake Watershed could cost $5,000.

- Discussion on mixed-use zoning.

All corrections/additions to the Agricultural Recommendations Section of the draft RPP will be written and added to such and posted on the website for review by Dave Zorn and Liz Moran.

Craig Schutt distributed a hand-out titled, “Concern and Suggestions by the Cayuga Lake Agricultural Advisory Committee on the Adopted By-Laws of the IO”. There is a conflict since the Ag. Advisory Committee spent considerable time adopting By-Laws during the formation of this committee. All members were in agreement.

Motion by Janice Degni to adopt the original By-Laws as written by this Agricultural Advisory Committee as “the” by-laws, seconded by Lyn Odell, carried.

The meeting adjourned at 12:00 PM. The next meeting will be decided at a later date.

Respectfully submitted by,

Sherry Forgash

Tompkins County SWCD

Present: Craig Schutt Lyn Odell Sherry Forgash

The meeting began at 12:10 PM.

Mark, Craig, Lyn and Sherry introduced themselves and explained their positions and experience.

Mark began his discussion by explaining the purpose of a watershed model and how implementation of this model might benefit the Cayuga Lake Watershed Ag. Advisory Committee. A watershed model is a tool to assist in watershed planning. Mark showed a sample map using the watershed model which depicted geology. Other areas that can be depicted are topography, soils, rainfall amount, etc. Many different types of data can be inputted into the model. For example, with rainfall data, the level of a stream over time can be shown. (Hydrograph). Scenarios can also be inputted into the model; for examples, scenarios can predict TMDLs. Craig asked if the following scenario could be predicted with Mark’s model: If no one spread manure in the winter, and all was spread during the same weeks in the spring, what would the runoff be like should there be a heavy rainfall event.

Lyn thinks that this type of model might provide him with water storage data such as the amount of water stored on the farm. Lyn also asked if P-loading could be identified. Also, if the model were to show that “X” amount of pollution was coming from a specific farm, would that landowner have confidence in the data generated by the model. The data could be used to show where the pollution is coming from. The model could also be used in others areas beside agriculture.

Craig explained the structure of the IO and the relationships among all the committees such as the technical, agricultural and educational committees.

Mark said that traditional soil and water BMPs have been shown to be effective in reducing erosion but have varied impacts on water quality both positive and negative. Lyn feels that conservation practices have had a significant positive impact in reducing soil erosion, runoff and therefore a reduction in water pollution.

A short discussion followed about the pollution controlling effectiveness of BMPs. Mark asked if farmers would be willing to contribute their data for use in the model. A discussion about what the resulting model data would be used for.

This session ended with an explanation on CAFO regulations and manure spreading.

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CLW IO 2002