Agriculture Success Stories

EPA is committed to promoting success stories and strong partnerships with the agriculture community to assist in fulfilling our mission of protecting human health and the environment.

AgSTAR Stories from the Farm

Stories from the Farm provides a first-hand account of the operations, lessons learned, benefits and challenges associated with anaerobic digestion projects on livestock farms in the United States. Learn more about AgSTAR Stories from the Farm.

Farmer Heroes Manage Nutrients on Farm

Fertilizers and manure from agriculture and soil erosion can be sources of high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient pollution in our waters. The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and EPA have recognized farmers for implementing specific best management practices to reduce pollution while also improving or sustaining their profits, soil quality and/or yields. Read more on Farmer Heroes Manage Nutrients On Farm.

Feather and Sacramento Rivers Diazinon Reduction Watershed Improvement Project

Diazinon pesticide contamination continues to be an issue. A diverse group of stakeholders developed a variety of tools to reduce the use of diazinon and control polluted runoff from reaching waterways. Their combined efforts resulted in the removal of 79 river miles from the 303(d) List for diazinon impairments in 2010. Learn more about the Feather and Sacramento Rivers Diazinon Reduction Watershed Improvement Project.

Giacomazzi Dairy, San Francisco Bay Delta

Giacomazzi Dairy, in the San Francisco Bay Delta is recognized by EPA as a Sustainable Agriculture Champion. The farm is run as a holistic system and is continually looking for cultural practices that are sustainable both environmentally and economically. Working with USDA-NRCS & the University of California, Giacomazzi Dairy initiated the first demonstration evaluation of a strip-tillage corn planting system in the Central San Joaquin Valley. The farm also experiments with different implements, plant varieties, and planting configurations to optimize their farming practices. Read more on Giacomazzi Dairy, Hanford.

Nonpoint Source Success Stories (Clean Water Act, Section 319)

The Nonpoint Source Success Stories feature nonpoint source-impaired waterbodies where restoration efforts have led to documented water quality improvements.

Hypoxia Task Force Success Stories

From Minnesota and Wisconsin to Louisiana and Mississippi, individual Hypoxia Task Force states and federal agencies, as well as their partners, have undertaken a variety of successful projects and programs to reduce nutrient loads. Their goal is to improve water quality in the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB) and reduce the size of the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone. Read the Hypoxia Task Force Success Stories.