A4. Best Management Practices Development in Agricultural Engineering

Training for Environment, Agriculture, Hydrology or Engineering students.

Florida was granted with fertile soils and a plenty of lakes and rivers that made this "Sunshine state" a traditionally agricultural region. For many years these abundant natural recourses were exploited by population for their usefulness.

But now, in the era of conservation, people recognize how limited these recourses are and seek ways to preserve and restore them.

List of main tasks: Explore range of issues related to water quality and soils degradation, as a consequence of traditional, not sustainable methods used in agricultural practices; Assist in conducting related research and educational programs in BMPs development; Help to protect and enhance Florida's sensitive natural resources and restore the state's water quality, while sustaining economically viable and compatible agricultural industry; Develop, document and demonstrate new BMPs that will not adversely impact the environment; Assist in delivering newly developed BMPs to farmers and public to make practical decisions to improve their quality of life.