“H2Ohio Expansion” Offering to Pay Farmers to Avoid Fertilizer Runoff [Video]

Ross County — A new program is coming to incentivize Ohio farmers to plan to avoid fertilizer runoff. They will be paid to do so, and it’s coming quickly…but it doesn’t have an exact start date and will have a short time for enrollment.

Bob Neal, administrator of the Ross Soil and Water Conservation District, explained the “H2Ohio Expansion” program to the Ross County Commissioners Monday.

The initiative from the Ohio Department of Agriculture awaits Governor DeWine’s signature. Neal says this is partly in response to past years’ algae blooms in the Maumee River at Toledo, which are suspected to be fed by fertilizer runoff…though farmers will point out that excessive residential fertilizer application may be just as much to blame.

Neal says fertilizer is known as “nutrient” in the industry. He says the “Voluntary Nutrient Management Plan” will pay $5 …