Regulating farmers

The Delmarva Land and Litter Collaborative recognizes that the challenge of producing high-quality food while safeguarding our environment is bigger and more complex than any one entity can address. Regulation has been and remains a tool to achieve environmental protections in place as columnist Gerald Winegrad recently wrote but even those cannot be achieved without collaboration (The Capital, March 7).

Collaboration doesn’t dilute results; it makes them stronger. Prior to coming together as DLLC, our partnership’s environmental, industry, and academic members rarely sat at the same table. Now through focused discussion, we find ourselves unified in support of key water quality solutions, like timely implementation of Maryland’s phosphorus management regulations, and increased conservation assistance and funding for farmers.

Recently, DLLC backed an innovative matching service that connects litter producers with crop farmers who can appropriately use litter on fields that do not have high nutrient loss risk. All of these efforts help agriculture accelerate water quality restoration.

While progress is being made, clearly more work needs to be done. We are finding that a willingness to talk and be proactive builds a foundation for productive and lasting solutions that otherwise would be unlikely.

Learn more about the Delmarva Land and Litter Collaborative at delmarvalandandlitter.net

Kristen Hughes Evans, Richmond Editor’s note: Kristen Hughes is chair of the Delmarva Land and Litter Collaborative