Available:*
Library | Item Barcode | Call Number | Material Type | Item Category 1 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... | 30000003085119 | S599.A1 S64 1993 | Open Access Book | Book | Searching... |
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Summary
Summary
How can the United States meet demands for agricultural production while solving the broader range of environmental problems attributed to farming practices? National policymakers who try to answer this question confront difficult trade-offs.
This book offers four specific strategies that can serve as the basis for a national policy to protect soil and water quality while maintaining U.S. agricultural productivity and competitiveness. Timely and comprehensive, the volume has important implications for the Clean Air Act and the 1995 farm bill.
Advocating a systems approach, the committee recommends specific farm practices and new approaches to prevention of soil degradation and water pollution for environmental agencies.
The volume details methods of evaluating soil management systems and offers a wealth of information on improved management of nitrogen, phosphorus, manure, pesticides, sediments, salt, and trace elements. Landscape analysis of nonpoint source pollution is also detailed.
Drawing together research findings, survey results, and case examples, the volume will be of interest to federal, state, and local policymakers; state and local environmental and agricultural officials and other environmental and agricultural specialists; scientists involved in soil and water issues; researchers; and agricultural producers.
Reviews 1
Choice Review
According to this book, long-range concerns about soil erosion and sedimentation articulated over the years have been supplemented with new concerns about soil compaction, salinization, and loss of soil organic manner as well as the intrusion of nitrates, phosphates, pesticides, and salt into surface and ground water. The NRC Committee was asked to investigate and recommend a soil management guide, evaluate agricultural chemical usage, minimize tradeoffs between soil and water and pollutants, and recommended long-term conservation practices to improve soil and water quality. Major objectives were to conserve and enhance soil quality; increase nutrients and pesticide and irrigation efficiency; decrease erosion and runoff; and make greater use of field and landscape buffer zones. Chapters cover soil and water quality, and techniques for improvement; a systems approach; politics; monitoring and managing; nitrogen, phosphorus, pesticides, sediments, salt, and trace elements; manure and nutrient management; and a landscape approach. Generous references; glossary; author information; adequate index. An extremely informative book. Graduate; faculty; professional. H. W. Ockerman; Ohio State University
