The Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Act
Water Quality Plans are required by state law for landowners and users with farming and/or forestry operations on 10 or more contiguous acres. However a Water Quality Plan is also a requirement to apply for cost share programs such as State Cost Share and CAIP.
The Ag Water Quality Plan may now be completed online. An updated paper copy will be available soon.
For more information or assistance with completing the workbook and your Water Quality Plan contact your local Conservation District office or county Extension office.
It is recommended that water quality plans are updated on average every 2 years OR whenever major changes are made to your operation.
The Ag Water Quality Plan may now be completed online. An updated paper copy will be available soon.
For more information or assistance with completing the workbook and your Water Quality Plan contact your local Conservation District office or county Extension office.
It is recommended that water quality plans are updated on average every 2 years OR whenever major changes are made to your operation.
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What is the Agriculture Water Quality Act?
The Kentucky General Assembly passed the Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Act in 1994. The goal of the act is to protect surface and groundwater resources from pollution as a result of agriculture and silviculture (forestry) activities.
Whom does the Agriculture Water Quality Act affect?
The Agriculture Water Quality Act requires all landowner/land users with ten (10) or more acres that is being used for agriculture or silviculture operations to develop and implement a water quality plan based upon guidance from the Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Plan.
How are agriculture and silviculture defined under the Agriculture Water Quality Act?
"Agriculture operation" means any farm operation on a tract of land, including all income producing improvements and farm dwellings, together with other farm buildings and structures incident to the operation and maintenance of the farm, situated on ten (10) contiguous acres or more of land used for the production of livestock, livestock products, poultry, poultry products, milk, milk products, or silviculture products or for the growing of crops such as, but not limited to, tobacco, corn, soybeans, small grains, fruits and vegetables, or devoted to and meeting the requirements and qualifications for payments to agriculture programs under an agreement with the state or federal government.
"Silviculture" generally means that part of forestry that involves growing and harvesting of trees.
What is the Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Plan?
The Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Plan consists of best management practices from six different areas - Silviculture, Pesticides and Fertilizers, Farmstead, Crops, Livestock, and Streams and Other Waters. Each BMP includes definitions and descriptions, regulatory requirements, Agriculture Water Quality Authority requirements, design information, practice maintenance, technical assistance, cost share assistance, recommendations and references. This statewide plan will serve as a guide to individual landowners/land users as they develop water quality plans for their individual operations.
What is the process for developing and implementing an individual water quality plan?
All individual landowners must develop and fully implement applicable requirements of the Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Plan. Technical assistance and cost-share funding is provided through local conservation district offices with assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Cooperative Extension Service and others, to landowners in developing and implementing site-specific plans. After identifying the BMPs, landowners/land users implement these practices on their land. Assistance to implement the plan can be provided through local conservation district offices with assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and a variety of technical agencies.
For a landowner to certify that he or she has an Agriculture Water Quality Plan for his or her agriculture or silviculture operation, they may complete a Producer's Workbook, as mentioned at the top of this page. The workbook may be downloaded, printed, completed, and pages 39 and 40 turned in to the Butler County Conservation District office. The Butler County Conservation District is available to help answer questions about filling out the plan if needed.
The Kentucky General Assembly passed the Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Act in 1994. The goal of the act is to protect surface and groundwater resources from pollution as a result of agriculture and silviculture (forestry) activities.
Whom does the Agriculture Water Quality Act affect?
The Agriculture Water Quality Act requires all landowner/land users with ten (10) or more acres that is being used for agriculture or silviculture operations to develop and implement a water quality plan based upon guidance from the Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Plan.
How are agriculture and silviculture defined under the Agriculture Water Quality Act?
"Agriculture operation" means any farm operation on a tract of land, including all income producing improvements and farm dwellings, together with other farm buildings and structures incident to the operation and maintenance of the farm, situated on ten (10) contiguous acres or more of land used for the production of livestock, livestock products, poultry, poultry products, milk, milk products, or silviculture products or for the growing of crops such as, but not limited to, tobacco, corn, soybeans, small grains, fruits and vegetables, or devoted to and meeting the requirements and qualifications for payments to agriculture programs under an agreement with the state or federal government.
"Silviculture" generally means that part of forestry that involves growing and harvesting of trees.
What is the Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Plan?
The Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Plan consists of best management practices from six different areas - Silviculture, Pesticides and Fertilizers, Farmstead, Crops, Livestock, and Streams and Other Waters. Each BMP includes definitions and descriptions, regulatory requirements, Agriculture Water Quality Authority requirements, design information, practice maintenance, technical assistance, cost share assistance, recommendations and references. This statewide plan will serve as a guide to individual landowners/land users as they develop water quality plans for their individual operations.
What is the process for developing and implementing an individual water quality plan?
All individual landowners must develop and fully implement applicable requirements of the Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Plan. Technical assistance and cost-share funding is provided through local conservation district offices with assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Cooperative Extension Service and others, to landowners in developing and implementing site-specific plans. After identifying the BMPs, landowners/land users implement these practices on their land. Assistance to implement the plan can be provided through local conservation district offices with assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and a variety of technical agencies.
For a landowner to certify that he or she has an Agriculture Water Quality Plan for his or her agriculture or silviculture operation, they may complete a Producer's Workbook, as mentioned at the top of this page. The workbook may be downloaded, printed, completed, and pages 39 and 40 turned in to the Butler County Conservation District office. The Butler County Conservation District is available to help answer questions about filling out the plan if needed.