Commissioner Adam Putnam’s Statement Regarding Everglades Water Improvement

From the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services:

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.–The South Florida Water Management District today announced that during the Water Year 2015 monitoring period, implementation of Best Management Practices on agricultural land resulted in a 79-percent phosphorous reduction in the Everglades Agricultural Area, which far exceeds the 25-percent reduction requirement. This achievement marks a 20-year milestone.

“Farmers and ranchers throughout our state are looking toward science and data in order to protect Florida’s waterways and manage farms more efficiently, and today’s announcement shows that Best Management Practices are working,” stated Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam. “I thank the farmers and ranchers in the EAA for their continued commitment to being good stewards of the land.”

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services develops and adopts BMPs for different types of agricultural operations. BMPs are designed to benefit water quality and water conservation while maintaining or enhancing agricultural production.

For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and Best Management Practices, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.