Agriculture Workgroup
The Agriculture Workgroup provides expertise and leadership on the development and implementation of policies, programs and research to reduce pollutant loads delivered from agricultural lands and animal operations to upstream waters and the Chesapeake Bay.
Upcoming Meetings
Agriculture Workgroup Meeting - November 2024
Thursday, November 21, 2024 from 10:00am - 12:00pmAgriculture Workgroup Meeting - December 2024
Thursday, December 19, 2024 from 10:00am - 12:00pmAgriculture Workgroup Meeting- January 2025
Thursday, January 16, 2025 from 10:00am - 12:00pmAgriculture Workgroup Meeting- February 2025
Thursday, February 20, 2025 from 10:00am - 12:00pmScope and Purpose
The charge of the Agriculture Workgroup is to provide expertise and leadership on development and implementation of policies, programs and research to reduce pollutant loads delivered from agricultural lands and animal operations to upstream waters and the Chesapeake Bay. The workgroup reports to the Water Quality Goal Implementation Team. Functions include:
- Provide a forum for discussion, exchange of information and evaluation between federal, state and local agencies, conservation districts, universities, agri-business and the corporate sector on sustainable and/or cost-effective agricultural production systems that benefit water and air quality.
- Provide recommendations on the prioritization of federal and state technical and financial resources on specific practices in priority watersheds.
- Provide technical expertise and leadership to support the development and implementation of agricultural elements within the Chesapeake Bay TMDL, Watershed Implementation Plans, two-year milestones, and tracking and reporting mechanisms that support an adaptive management approach towards Bay restoration.
- Coordinate with WQGIT Watershed Technical Workgroup to identify, define, quantify and incorporate pollutant reduction and conservation practices on agricultural lands and animal operations into the Chesapeake Bay Program decision support system. Provide data and support for the Water Quality Goal Implementation Team and Technical and Support Services.
Projects and Resources
Phase 7 Model Development
Evolving plans and related documents can be found on the Chesapeake Bay Program's Phase 7 Model Development webpage.
Agriculture Workgroup Actions and Decisions
These resources track the Agriculture Workgroup's past and present actions and decisions throughout the development of the Phase 6 and Phase 7 models.
Agriculture Workgroup Chesapeake Assessment Scenario Tool (CAST) Issues Tracker
The Chesapeake Assessment Scenario Tool (CAST) Issues Tracker is a living document. It will be updated regularly as progress is made on the issues it contains or as new issues are raised. This spreadsheet serves as a starting point for setting priorities for Phase 7 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Model updates and changes related to agricultural data.
Agriculture Workgroup Governance Protocol & Membership
The Agriculture Workgroup's governance resource outlines the workgroup's recommended consensus-based decision-making process and details leadership and membership selection, lengths of terms and participation. Lists of the workgroup's signatory and at-large membership and their affiliations are provided for reference.
Resources for Virtual Meetings
Publications
Agricultural Ditch Management BMP Expert Panel Report
Published on March 30, 2020The WQGIT approved the final report from the Agricultural Ditch Management Expert Panel.
View detailsCropland Irrigation BMP Expert Panel Report
Published on December 12, 2019 in ReportThis report details the work done by the Cropland Irrigation Expert Panel to improve the BMP definition and efficiency values for cropland irrigation, create unique BMP definitions and recommendations for three different cropland irrigation categories, and investigate differences in BMP efficiencies and irrigation practices across regions. This work draws on pre-existing literature on cropland irrigation and focuses on applications in the Delmarva Peninsula and Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The WQGIT approved final report from the Cropland Irrigation Expert Panel.
View detailsRecommendations Regarding Agricultural Stormwater Management Practices
Published on January 18, 2018This report, created for the AgWG by the Agricultural Stormwater Management Practices Expert Panel Establishment Group, offers recommendations on agricultural stormwater management practices throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and their implementation in Phase 6 of the Watershed Model. The WQGIT approved final report from the Agricultural Stormwater Management Expert Panel Establishment Group.
View detailsWorkgroups and Action Teams
Members
Kathy Braiser (Chair), Pennsylvania State University (Penn State)
Caitlin Grady (Vice Chair), George Washington University
Eric Hughes (Coordinator), Life Scientist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1750 Forest Drive, Suite 130
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Email: hughes.eric@epa.gov
Phone: 410-267-5729
Caroline Kleis (Staffer), Water Quality Goal Implementation Team Staffer, Chesapeake Research Consortium
Greg Albrecht, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets
309 Roat Street
Ithaca, New York 14850
Email: greg.albrecht@agriculture.ny.gov
Phone: (607) 229-4654
Cindy Shreve, West Virginia Conservation Agency
60B Moorefield Industrial Park Road
Moorefield, West Virginia 26836
Email: cshreve@wvca.us.
Phone: (304) 538-7581
Kate Bresaw, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Elizabeth Hoffman, Maryland Department of Agriculture
Marel King, Chesapeake Bay Commission
c/o Senate of Pennsylvania
G-05 North Office Building
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120
Email: mking@chesbay.us
Phone: (717) 772-3651
Paul Bredwell, U.S. Poultry & Egg Association
1530 Cooledge Road
Tucker, Georgia 30084
Email: pbredwell@uspoultry.org
Phone: (770) 493-9401
Ken Staver, University of Maryland
Wye Research and Education Center
P.O. Box 169
Queenstown, Maryland 21658
Email: kstaver@umd.edu
Phone: (410) 827-8056 x111
Jeff Hill, York County Conservation District
2401 Pleasant Valley Road
Suite #101 RM #139
York, Pennsylvania 17402
Email: jhill@yorkccd.org
Phone: (717) 840-7430 x143
David Graybill, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau
1043 Long Rd
Mifflintown, Pennsylvania 17059
Email: dgmkhc@centurylink.net
Phone: (717) 363-0706
Emily Dekar, Upper Susquehanna Coalition
Clint Gill, Delaware Department of Agriculture
Matthew Royer, Pennsylvania State University (Penn State)
RO Britt, Smithfield Foods
Seth Mullins, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
Jenna Schueler, Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Jeff Sweeney, Integrated Analysis Coordinator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1750 Forest Drive Suite 130
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Email: sweeney.jeff@epa.gov
Phone: (410) 267-9844