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Environmental Quality:

Farm-A-Syst Fact Sheet

The Mississippi Extension Water Quality Program

Background

While Mississippi is fortunate to have an abundant supply of clean drinking water, it is imperative that citizens take proactive steps to preserve and protect their water resources.

Mississippi State University Extension Service programs help citizens protect these resources. These programs, some of which are recognized nationally, are conducted through the Extension water quality program.

Program Impact

Here are examples of programs conducted through the Extension water quality support program and their impact:

  • Pesticide Container Recycling - More than 5 million pounds of empty pesticide containers have been recycled in this program. An estimated 31 percent of all plastic containers generated are recycled each year. In addition to environmental benefits, this program helps farmers save the cost of 16,000 gallons of pesticides each year that would otherwise be lost without proper container rinsing.
  • Waste Pesticide Disposal - More than 900 farmers disposed of almost 1 million pounds of waste pesticides over a four-year period. Benefits include reduced environmental risks, an improved rural environment, better relationships among cooperators, and a direct savings of almost $1.23 million to farmers in pesticide disposal costs.
  • Polypipe Recycling - Almost 6.5 million pounds of polypipe, or flexible irrigation tubing, have been recycled with support from Extension water quality programs. In addition to creating new jobs and new products, polypipe and pesticide container recycling programs saved 49,000 tons of landfill space in 2000 alone.
  • Animal Waste Management Initiatives - The Extension water quality program helped south Mississippi dairy farmers reduce water quality impacts. More than 30 animal waste facilities were installed or upgraded, reducing nutrient loads in the watershed by an estimated 27 percent.
  • Farm•A•Syst/Home•A•Syst - More than 3,000 farmers and citizens received water quality information in this program. Farm•A•Syst also supports the Delta FARM (Farmers Advocating Resource Management) environmental stewardship program, in which more than 400,000 acres of Delta land are enrolled.
  • Water Quality Education - More than 10,000 youth and other citizens have been reached with water quality information through demonstrations, field days and other activities.

For More Information

Extension water quality programs help all Mississippians take proactive steps to reduce water quality risks. For more information, contact Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Box 9632, Mississippi State, MS 39762, or call (662) 325-3103.

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