A direct approach to…

A direct approach to reducing phosphorus and algal blooms in Lake Erie (and hypoxia in any receiving waters) is a landscape approach. The agricultural landscape in the Great Lakes basin has undergone substantial change in recent monitoring periods, with a dramatic reduction of perennial vegetation as part of the working farm landscape and a concomitant increase in the area of annual crop cultivation (with their associated fertility management). A simple but accurate interpretation is that perennial vegetation offers substantial benefits over annual cropping.

Addressing water quality in Lake Erie or other Great Lakes can be addressed by increasing perennial vegetation in the watersheds, and reducing annual crop vegetation. Any farming practices that currently favour perennial vegetation (e.g., grazing livestock, forage production) should be encouraged and practices that favour annual cropping (e.g., drainage loan programs, subsidized crop insurance) should be reduced or coupled with a requirement for perennial vegetation.

[Original Comment ID: 209399]