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local hire

Agriculture

Government encourages local hire

http://insightsabah.gov.my/article/read/2133

By Elaine Mah
Picture by Oliver Majaham

Assistant Minister to the Minister of Resource Development and Informtion Technology Hajah Jainab

The government is constantly working on ensuring that jobs in the oil palm plantation and agricultural industry are filled by locals, said the Assistant Minister to the Ministry of Resource Development and Information Technology, Datuk Hajah Jainab at the State Assembly today.

She said this in response to the question posed by Luyang Assemblywoman Melanie Chia Chui Ket, who asked about programmes that the government has implemented to allow locals to take up jobs  in the oil palm plantations and agricultural industry and thus reduce the dependence on foreign labour.

According to Jainab, programmes run by the government include a programme to encourage employers to hire locals in the plantations sector. Through this programme, open interviews are held to attract locals, where in 2010 through to June 2012, 1,823 local workers were successfully placed in plantation sectors.

The government has also conducted a Workforce Technical Transformation Programme (WTTP) together with other related courses including plantation practices as well as  mills management courses.

Another government initiative, is the oil palm harvesting course designed for local school graduates. According to Jainab, the programme has produced  121 trained youths in this field in the period between January and September 2012.

The government has also encouraged the involvement of private training centres to sponsor  plantation supervision courses for Sabahan youths. To date, 1200 young people have been trained.

In April of this year, the government launched the Sabah Young Agro Businessman Programme to encourage the younger generation in Sabah to venture into agro-based entrepreneurships. - Insight Sabah

Posted on October 27, 2012

Explore more:

local hire, oil palms plantation, agriculture, foreign labour

oil palm

Sawit Kinabalu

CM praises Sawit Kinabalu for its excellent showing 

Sabah Chief Minister and Chairman of Sawit Kinabalu Group Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Aman presenting the Best Improved Complex award to Abdul Tee (second right), witnessed by Managing Director of Sawit Kinabalu Group,Othman Walat (second left).

By Rebecca Chong
Pictures by Ille Tugimin

Othman Walat, Managing Director of Sawit Kinabalu Group.

Sawit Kinabalu made a whopping profit of RM300 million last year. The Director of Sawit Kinabalu Management Team, Othman Walat disclosed this when he spoke at the company's annual dinner in Magellan Ballroom, Sutera Harbour Resort recently. 

He said that he was very happy with the accomplishment in 2011, and he thanked, among others, Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Aman for his leadersip which he said had inspired his company to strive hard to achieve good results.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Aman congratulated Sawit Kinabalu on th company's achievement.

“I compliment Sawit Kinabalu for their efficient and honest management, and I hope that Sawit Kinabalu will continue to contribute to Sabah's development efforts,” Musa added.

Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Aman

Othman said as one of the Government-linked Companies (GLC),Sawit Kinabalu, will continue to play a key role as an investment arm of the state government and an implementing agency for some of the government's socio-economic projects such as the PPRT farm in Tongod and Kalabakan.

As an investment arm the company is involved in the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) projects that are being developed including the Sandakan Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (POIC) and the Keningau Integrated Livestock Centre. Commenting on the drop of the palm oil commodity prices, Othman said this was one of the challenges facing the palm oil industry, but he expressed optimism that Sawit Kinabalu would ride out the effects of the short-term business cycle and would continue to grow.  

Abdul Tee, Farm Manager at Sandau, Lahad Datu.

The Sawit Kinabalu Annual Dinner was also an occasion for awards presentation. The awards comprised the company's 2011 Best Improved Complex Award, the  2011 Excellent Factory Management Award, the 2011 Excellent Plantation Management Award and 5 long service (25 years) awards.

Abdul Tee, the manager of Ladang Sandau, Lahad Datu who received the 2011 Best Improved Complex Award said that his estate won the award not only because of the excellent quality of their palm oil extraction, but also on account of the steady and systematic replanting progrmme. -Insight Sabah

Posted on November 25, 2012

Sabah Beri Penekanan Pembangunan Ekonomi Berasaskan Pertanian - Musa

Sabah Beri Penekanan Pembangunan Ekonomi Berasaskan Pertanian - Musa

SANDAKAN, 22 Nov (Bernama) -- Kerajaan negeri memberi penekanan terhadap pembangunan ekonomi negeri berasaskan pertanian, kata Ketua Menteri Datuk Seri Musa Aman.

Belaiau berkata selari dengan usaha tersebut peruntukan besar diberikan kepada Kementerian Pertanian dan Industri Makanan termasuk dalam Belanjawan Negeri 2013, iaitu sebanyak RM300 juta.

"Saya sendiri meminati kegiatan pertanian dan sejak dilantik ke jawatan Ketua Menteri, pertanian menjadi sektor yang saya berikan tumpuan untuk dimajukan.

"Sebab itu, dalam bajet negeri Sabah setiap tahun, saya berusaha menambah peruntukan kepada kementerian itu," katanya ketika merasmikan Hari Terbuka Jubli Emas Stesen Penyelidikan Pertanian Ulu Dusun di sini, Khamis.



-- BERNAMA

blog bagus dibaca

http://syedmahadzirsyedibrahim.blogspot.com/2011/02/krisis-makanan-dunia-peranan-dunia.html

watch out !!!!

Oil palm threatens food security

http://insightsabah.gov.my/article/read/2244

Palm oil plantation in Kudat

By Elaine Mah
Pictures by Ille Tugimin and Oliver Majaham

While highly profitable, the oil palm industry in Sabah also brings with it challenges that need to be tackled, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Sabah’s agriculture sector remains as a major contributor to the state’s economy. It contributed 22.9 percent to the state’s GDP in 2010 and 32 percent of employment was in the agriculture sector. 41 percent of the state’s export earnings in 2010 came from agriculture.

Assistant Director of the Department of Agriculture, Chong Tan Chun

According to the Assistant Director of the Department of Agriculture, Chong Tan Chun, who presented a paper at the Heart of Borneo (HoB) conference oil palm is the largest source of revenue for the state with RM17.4 billion in 2010. Rubber comes in second with RM523 million, followed by cocoa (RM65.4 million), coconut (RM16.2 million), and fruits, vegetables and other crops (RM24.4 million).

With more than 120 palm oil mills in the state, the oil palm industry is significant not only to the state's economy but also to Malaysia’s economy as a whole. In 2010, export of oil palm from Sabah accounts for 30 percent of the country’s total exports.

The industry is set to grow further. According to the Department of Agriculture, oil palm accounted for 1.414 million hectares of the land under crop cultivation in Sabah in 2010. This figure has increased in 2012, to  1.428 million hectares. This represents about 90 percent of the land under crop cultivation.

The fast growing oil palm industry has presented a number of challenges to the state, according to Chong. These challenges include the imbalances in crop development, where a majority of suitable land for agriculture is used for oil palm cultivation and only very little area is left for food production.

The imbalances in crop production directly affect the state’s food security. While the production of fruits and vegetables are highly satisfactory and have almost achieved the state’s self-sufficiency levels (SSL) targets, the lower production levels of rice remains a concern.

Currently, rice production in the state is only at 30 percent SSL. This is only half the target set by the state at 60 percent SSL.

This is a serious concern for the department, according to Chong.

“We want to have a crop balance, where certain areas are used for food crops and other areas reserved for other crops. We don’t want to put all our eggs into one basket,” he said.

To address this issue the department suggests the enforcement of the 10 percent policy, where 10 percent of current oil palm plantations are converted into rice and other food crop cultivations.

Anthony Lamb

Another challenge that the state faces is the negative effects of effluent from oil palm mills (POME). POME – an organic waste material produced at oil palm mills – is highly polluting in its raw form as it produces carbon emission.

When met at the HoB conference, renowned botanist Anthony Lamb who previously worked with the agriculture department told Insight Sabah that palm oil mills in the state produce up to 30,000 ton of carbon emission per mill each year.

However, Lamb explains that this long-standing issue can now be resolved as there now exist a technology that is able to ensure zero carbon emission while recovering 1.5 percent more good oil.

According to Lamb, the revenue from the extra oil could potentially fully pay for the equipment within a period of two years.

The technology is now available in Sabah, with three mills in the state already implementing it. - Insight Sabah

Posted on November 8, 2012

Hari Terbuka ARS Ulu Dusun Sandakan

Para pemimpin yang prihatin.



Yang Berbahagia Datuk M.C. Ismail Salam menuju ke pentas utama.




 

























Anthony Lamb

argUment

!!!

Pengambilan Program Sarjana Eksekutif Sains Pentadbiran (Secara Sambilan)

Pengambilan Program Sarjana Eksekutif Sains Pentadbiran (Secara Sambilan)

Government Mail Administrator [mailadmin@sabah.gov.my]

Actions

To:

 MEL KERAJAAN ELEKTRONIK SABAHNET 

Cc:

 MEL KERAJAAN ELEKTRONIK SABAHNET 

 

Friday, November 09, 2012 4:30 PM

This message was sent with High importance.

Salam sejahtera,

 

Dengan hormat dan sukacita perkara di atas adalah dirujuk.

 

2. Untuk makluman anda, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Sabah akan menawarkan program baharu Sarjana Eksekutif Sains Pentadbiran (Executive Master in Administrative Science-EMAS) secara sambilan bagi pengambilanMac 2013 akan datang.

 

3. Sasaran utama program ini adalah para pegawai kerajaan, dan ia direka khusus untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan dalam hal-hal berkaitan tadbir urus dasar awam. Program ini dikendalikan oleh Fakulti Sains Pentadbiran Pentadbiran & Pengajian Polisi, dan merupakan kesinambungan dari program Diploma Pentadbiran Awam dan juga Sarjana Muda Sains Pentadbiran.

 

4. Sehubungan itu, kami memohon jasa baik pihak Tuan agar dapat dihebahkan program ini kepada para pegawai kerajaan persekutuan di Sabah. Tarikh tutup permohonan ialah 30 November 2012.

 

Salinan brosur program tersebut seperti dibawah :

http://www.sabah.gov.my/events/doc/Sarjana-Eksekutif-Sains-Pentadbiran.pdf

 

Dan

Iklan pengambilan Sesi Mac 2013.

http://www.sabah.gov.my/events/doc/Iklan-Pengambilan-Sesi-Mac-2013.pdf

 

 

Sebarang pertanyaan mengenai permohonan atau program lain yang ditawarkan, boleh didapati di http://sabah.uitm.edu.my/cgs/.

 

 

Untuk keterangan lanjut sila hubungi :

 

Prof. Madye Datuk Dr Worran Hj. Kebul

(Ketua Pusat Pengajian Siswazah UITM Sabah)

Tel : +6088 325161

Emel : wkabul@sabah.uitm.edu.my

 

 

Dr Hjh Zuraidah Zaaba

(Koordinator - Penyelidikan)

Tel : +6088 325217

HP  : +6016 8136966

Emel : zurai360@sabah.uitm.edu.com

 

PROGRAM INTER-SCHOOL THEATRE COMPETITION

This message was sent with High importance.

PROGRAM INTER-SCHOOL THEATRE COMPETITION

 

Sila dimaklumkan bahawa Kementerian Pembangunan Masyarakat Dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna dengan kerjasama Kementerian Belia Dan Sukan/Majlis Perundingan Belia Sabah sebagai Jawatankuasa Menangani Gejala Sosial Belia akan menganjurkan Inter-School Theatre Competition pada 28 November 2012 di Wisma Wanita bermula jam 3.45 petang - 7.00 malam. Semua kakitangan kerajaan negeri dijemput agar datang beramai-ramai menyaksikan pertandingan ini.

 

Sila layari pautan dibawah untuk maklumat lanjut.

http://www.sabah.gov.my/events/2012/SchoolTheatre/

 

 

 

Sekian, terima kasih

 

 

PENTADBIR EMEL KERAJAAN

Emel: mailadmin@sabah.gov.my

eGov: http://www.sabah.gov.my

EXPO BIODIVERSITI TAWAU

This message was sent with High importance.

EXPO BIODIVERSITI TAWAU

 

Sila dimaklumkan bahawa acara Expo Biodiversiti Tawau akan dianjurkan oleh Taman-Taman Sabah di Taman Bukit Tawau, Tawau pada 6-9 Disember 2012. Orang ramai dijemput hadir ke acara yang berkonsepkan "ala rumah terbuka" anjuran pihak Taman ini . Selama acara ini berlangsung , yuran masuk ke Taman Bukit Tawau adalah PERCUMA.

 

Sila klik pautan dibawah untuk maklumat lanjut.

http://www.sabah.gov.my/events/2012/SabahPark/ExpoBiodiversitiBukitTawau.pdf

 

 

 

Sekian, terima kasih

 

 

PENTADBIR EMEL KERAJAAN

Emel: mailadmin@sabah.gov.my

eGov: http://www.sabah.gov.my

CM jumpa penjawat awam

TEKS UCAPAN Y.A.B DATUK SERI PANGLIMA MUSA HAJI AMAN
KETUA MENTERI SABAH, SEMPENA MAJLIS PERJUMPAAN PENJAWAT AWAM BERSAMA Y.A.B TIMBALAN PERDANA MENTERI, PADA 20 NOVEMBER 2012 (SELASA), DI BALLROOM, HOTEL MAGELLAN
KOTA KINABALU.


Walaupun kita sedia maklum bahawa Y.A.B. Tan Sri begitu sibuk dengan tanggungjawab sebagai Timbalan Perdana Menteri dan baru sahaja kembali dari lawatan kerja ke Australia, namun Y.A.B. Tan Sri tetap komited meneruskan lawatan kerja ke negeri ini.

Saya juga mengucapkan terima kasih kepada Y.B. Tan Sri Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri dan YBhg. Dato’ Setiausaha Persekutuan Sabah, yang berganding bahu dan bekerjasama bagi menjayakan majlis perjumpaan ini

Pastinya hari ini amat bersejarah dan bermakna kepada Perkhidmatan Awam di Sabah kerana para pegawai Gred 41 dan ke atas daripada semua jabatan Negeri dan Persekutuan dihimpunkan untuk mendengar amanat daripada Y.A.B Timbalan Perdana Menteri.

Pada kesempatan ini saya merakamkan ucapan penghargaan dan terima kasih kepada 118,999 orang pegawai Perkhidmatan Awam Negeri dan Persekutuan di Sabah atas usaha gigih untuk memajukan dan memakmurkan negeri Sabah yang tercinta.

Berkat kesetiaan, kegigihan dan kerjasama tuan-tuan dan puan-puan dalam menjayakan pelaksanaan program pembangunan negeri, pencapaian Sabah dalam tempoh RMK-9 dan tahun pertama RMK-10 adalah amat membanggakan.

Y.A.B. Tan Sri, izinkan saya untuk menyentuh sedikit mengenai prestasi pembangunan negeri dalam pelbagai sektor. Dalam tempoh RMK-9 iaitu 2006 hingga 2010, kadar pertumbuhan KDNK Sabah ialah 5.0 peratus setahun dengan pertambahan tertinggi 7.7 peratus pada 2008, yang jelas membuktikan kepesatan dan kemapanan pertumbuhan ekonomi Sabah. Manakala Lebihan Dagangan (trade surplus) bertambah lebih 3 kali ganda iaitu RM4.8 billion (2006) kepada RM15.7 billion (2010). Semua sektor ekonomi juga berkembang.

Kemudahan dan infrastruktur awam di negeri ini juga bertambah baik. Usaha-usaha membasmi kemiskinan, meningkatkan taraf sosio ekonomi rakyat terus diberikan fokus. Begitu juga dengan bidang-bidang pertanian, pelancongan, kesihatan, pendidikan, keselamatan, dan sebagainya di samping mejayakan pelbagai inisiatif dan program-program transformasi yang diperkenalkan oleh Y.A.B. PM.

Saya juga bersyukur kerana sumber dan perbelanjaan kewangan negeri sentiasa diurus secara berhemat, berkesan dan efisien mengikut peraturan-peraturan kewangan yang ditetapkan. Ketua Audit Negara telah mengiktiraf Sabah sebagai salah sebuah negeri yang mempunyai rekod terbaik dalam pengurusan kewangan.

Dengan kecemerlangan ini, bagi tahun 2011, Negeri Sabah sekali lagi dianugerahkan “Sijil Tanpa Teguran” (Clean Bill) yang menjadikan penganugerahan ini mencatatkan rekod selama 12 tahun berturut-turut. Negeri ini juga mencapai penarafan tertinggi `AAA’ oleh RAM Rating Services Berhad selama 3 tahun berturut-turut.

Kedudukan kewangan negeri sekarang amat kukuh. Rizab Negeri melebihi RM3 billion. Hasil Negeri juga melebihi RM4 billion. Lebihan sebenar berjumlah RM730 juta. Perbelanjaan pembangunan adalah RM1.17 billion dan TIADA TUNGGAKAN BAYARAN ke atas pinjaman daripada Kerajaan Pusat. Saya yakin pencapaian seumpama ini akan terus dikekalkan.

Suka saya tekankan bahawa kesemua pencapaian dan kejayaan tersebut tidak mungkin dapat dikecapi tanpa adanya sokongan, kerajasama, dedikasi dan komitmen tinggi daripada warga perkhidmatan awam Negeri dan Persekutuan di semua peringkat. Syabas dan tahniah saya ucapkan.

Sejak memegang amanah dan tanggungjawab sebagai Ketua Menteri, saya melihat semangat kerjasama yang padu antara para penjawat awam Negeri dan Persekutuan. Saya amat berpuas hati dan percaya bahawa penjawat awam menjalankan tugas dengan satu matlamat yang sama, iaitu untuk memajukan dan memakmurkan lagi negeri Sabah yang tercinta ini.

Saya mengganggap tuan-tuan dan puan-puan sebagai satu pasukan, ‘satu perkhidmatan’, yang kukuh dan mantap dalam menjayakan agenda pembangunan Kerajaan Negeri dan Kerajaan Persekutuan selaras dengan konsep ‘1Malaysia, Rakyat Didahulukan, Pencapaian Diutamakan.’

Dalam majlis perjumpaan dengan ketua-ketua jabatan atau dengan para penjawat awam Negeri dan Persekutuan, saya sering menekankan supaya konsep kolaborasi dan koordinasi antara kedua-dua perkhidmatan awam ini hendaklah diutamakan dan dioptimumkan penggunaannya selaras dengan konsep ‘Blue Ocean Strategy’ seperti penekanan Y.A.B. Perdana Menteri yang kita kasihi.

Saya percaya bahawa perkongsian sumber antara penjawat awam Persekutuan dan penjawat awam Negeri Sabah, sama ada sumber fasiliti atau kemahiran dalam pelbagai aspek, akan membolehkan seluruh jentera sistem penyampaian awam di negeri ini dapat digerakkkan dengan lebih berkesan dan menyeluruh.

Semasa pelaksanaan RMK-9 (2006 – 2010), Kerajaan Negeri dan Kerajaan Persekutuan memperuntukkan sebanyak RM24.659 bilion untuk pelaksanaan projek-projek pembangunan di seluruh negeri. Untuk RMK-10, peruntukan sebanyak RM21.456 bilion telah diluluskan oleh Kerajaan Negeri dan Persekutuan untuk  pelbagai projek pembangunan.

Di bawah peruntukan projek pembangunan Rolling Plan pertama (RP1), sebanyak RM12.254 bilion siling peruntukan telah diberi, manakala di bawah peruntukan projek pembangunan Rolling Plan kedua (RP2), sebanyak RM9.202 bilion lagi siling peruntukan disediakan. Dengan jumlah peruntukan yang besar, sudah tentulah harapan kita juga besar untuk menjamin kejayaan pelaksanaanya dan memastikan rakyat mendapat manfaat sepenuhnya.

Justeru, suka saya mengingatkan bahawa komitmen dan dedikasi tuan-tuan dan puan-puan amat penting untuk memastikan semua peruntukan perbelanjaan pembangunan di bawah RP1 dan RP2 dapat dibelanjakan.

Sesungguhnya kejayaan tuan-tuan dan puan-puan merancang, mengurus, melaksana, memantau dan menilai setiap projek pembangunan di bawah jabatan dan agensi masing-masing, bukan sahaja menggambarkan kecekapan perkhidmatan awam, bahkan membuktikan kewibawaan kerajaan pada keseluruhannya.

Sekian.

bunga

bunga

cantik dipandang

tapi 

kalau dipegang

kena duri... kottoo

kehidupan

adalah umpama

bunga

kau kana duri

baru kau tau

... apa rasa dia... orennnnnn???!

agriculture soil problems

  “A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt ⁱ

What is Soil?

It's not just dirt! Soil is a mixture of minerals, air, water, and organic materials, such as roots, decaying plant parts, fungi, earthworms, bacteria, and microorganisms. An acre of healthy topsoil can contain 900 pounds of earthworms, 2,400 pounds of fungi, 1,500 pounds of bacteria, 133 pounds of protozoa, 890 pounds of arthropods and algae, and in some cases, small mammals.ⁱⁱ

source: http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/soil/

Healthy soils are essential for the production of crops used to feed humans and livestock. In addition to providing a stable base to support plant roots, soils store water and nutrients required for plant growth.

Unfortunately, industrial agriculture practices continue to damage and deplete this valuable natural resource. While intensive plowing and monocrop agriculture systems have caused nutrient depletion and wide-scale soil erosion, over-application of fertilizers and pesticides have contaminated our soils and polluted our waterways.

Fortunately, many farmers are choosing to use sustainable agricultural techniques such as conservation tillage, crop rotation, and organic fertilization in order to protect our valuable soil resources.

Soil Erosion
Erosion is the movement of soil by water, wind, or gravity. Although this process occurs naturally throughout the world, industrial farming practices have dramatically increased the speed at which agricultural soils are eroded. Currently, the average rate of soil erosion on U.S. cropland is 7 tons per acre per year.ⁱⁱⁱ

The rate of erosion is highest when soil is not covered by a protective layer of plants or decaying organic matter. Industrial farmland is particularly susceptible to erosion due to intensive tillage (plowing), which eliminates protective ground cover from the soil surface and destroys root systems that help hold soil together.

Since soil formation is an extraordinarily slow process, erosion poses a serious problem; soil erosion can quickly cause fertile farmland to become unsuitable for agriculture. In extreme cases, erosion can lead to desertification, a process which causes arid soil to become barren and incapable of sustaining plant growth for many years.

However, even low rates of soil erosion can severely damage agricultural land; not only does erosion reduce the water holding capacity of a given soil, it also strips away nutrients and organic matter. In fact, soil removed by erosion contains about 3 times more nutrients and 1.5 to 5 times more organic matter than the soil that remains behind.^v

The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service notes that erosion is the single greatest threat to soil productivity.^vi According to a 1995 study published in Science, the loss of soil and water from U.S. cropland decreases productivity by about $27 billion per year.^vii

Know Your Soil Lingo

Organic matter : any part of a plant or animal, either living or dead - leaves, roots, sticks, fruit, seeds, worms, insects, manure, and food scraps are all examples of organic matter. The decomposition of organic matter provides soils with the nutrients required by plants to grow. Organic matter also improves soil structure, and helps the soil to retain more water.^iv

Pollution & Damage Caused by Erosion
In addition to removing valuable soil from farmland, erosion pollutes waterways with sediment. Runoff containing sediment degrades aquatic ecosystems by reducing stream depth and increasing turbidity (making water cloudier), causing the population of fish and other aquatic organisms to decline. According to the EPA, sediment is the most significant non-point source (NPS) pollutant in the U.S.^viii

Eroded sediment also affects humans by disrupting drainage systems, increasing the cost of water treatment, filling up reservoirs, and obstructing waterways. Furthermore, wind erosion damages buildings and covers roads, railways, and other structures with soil. The resulting damages and increased maintenance costs amount to approximately $8 billion per year.^ix

Erosion ControlErosion can be significantly reduced through sustainable agricultural practices. The most effective way to prevent erosion is to protect soil from the direct impact of rain and wind by keeping it covered with plants and/or decaying organic matter.

While industrial farms lose tons of soil as a result of intensive tillage (plowing), sustainable farmers have successfully reduced erosion by adopting conservation tillage techniques such as no-till, mulch-till, and ridge-till systems. These systems minimize soil disturbance and leave 'crop residue' (plant parts that remain after harvest) covering the soil. No-till systems are most effective; in no-till fields, all plant residue is left on the soil surface, and less than 10% of the soil is disturbed during planting.^x

What is Non-point Source Pollution?

NPS pollution is any form of pollution that doesn't enter the environment through a single, distinct source such as an industrial waste pipe, a smokestack, or a sewage treatment plant. Instead, NPS pollution is generated by numerous sources and carried over and through the ground by snowmelt or rain water. NPS pollutants include eroded sediment, pesticides, fertilizers, and toxins from urban runoff.

In addition to reducing erosion, conservation tillage enables soil to retain more moisture, reduces soil crusting (the formation of a rigid crust atop soil), and allows organic materials such as leaves and plant parts to accumulate over time, helping to restore nutrients to the soil. This technique also requires less labor, equipment, and fossil fuel.^xi According to the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), conservation tillage enables U.S. farmers to save 306 million gallons of fuel each year - this reduces annual greenhouse gas emissions by over 1 billion pounds of carbon dioxide!^xii

Sustainable farmers also reduce erosion by creating buffer strips within fields. For instance, wind erosion can be prevented by planting strips of trees or vegetation at the edges of fields. Farmers can also create buffer strips consisting of grasses or shrubs alongside drainage ditches and streams in order to help prevent water erosion.

Soil Nutrients and FertilizerPlants need more than just sunlight and water! In order to grow, plants require a variety of different nutrients (see sidebar). In natural environments such as prairies and forests, plants obtain most necessary nutrients from minerals found within the soil. When these plants die, they fall to the ground, decompose, and release nutrients back into the soil, making them available for new plants. In this way, nutrients are "recycled" with each generation of plants.

On farms, the nutrient cycle is somewhat different. Since crops are continually harvested or eaten by grazing livestock, there is no steady supply of decaying plant material to replenish nutrient levels within the soil. Instead, nutrients must be restored by adding fertilizers to the soil.

Traditionally, agricultural soils were fertilized using livestock manure, which is rich in nutrients and organic matter. Farmers also practiced crop rotation, regularly alternating the types of crop grown in various fields and periodically allowing fields to remain unplanted. This process enables organic matter to accumulate and decompose, thus restoring nutrients to the soil.

Essential Nutrients:

Scientists have determined that the following 16 elements are essential for crop growth:^xiii

• Boron (B)
• Calcium (Ca)
• Carbon (C)
• Chlorine (Cl)
• Copper (Cu)
• Hydrogen (H)
• Iron (Fe)
• Magnesium (Mg)
• Manganese (Mn)
• Molybdenum (Mo)
• Nitrogen (N)
• Oxygen (O)
• Phosphorus (P)
• Potassium (K)
• Sulfur (S)
• Zinc (Zn)

Industrial agriculture has dramatically altered the nutrient management practices used on farms. Modern industrial farms no longer raise animals and crops together; instead, livestock are raised on enormous CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations), and crops are mass-produced on separate farms. Although CAFOs generate tremendous amounts of manure, it is too costly to transport this manure to other cropland for use as fertilizer.

Instead, today's large-scale industrial farms depend on synthetic (manmade) chemical fertilizers to support high-intensity monocrop systems. Unfortunately, synthetic fertilizers are often over-applied to cropland. In fact, it is estimated that only about half of all fertilizers are actually absorbed by plants; the remaining chemicals pollute the atmosphere, soils, and waterways.^xiv In 1998, the U.S. used about 20 million tons of chemical fertilizers.^xv

The enormous amount of manure generated by CAFOs also causes significant pollution problems. In order to avoid the expense of treating or transporting this animal manure, CAFO's typically store the waste in huge open-air pits, or "lagoons," and eventually spray the untreated liquid manure onto surrounding land.

The over-application of synthetic fertilizers and manure both contribute to the growing problem of nutrient pollution.

Too Many Nutrients!!Plants need nutrients to grow - but there's a limit to the amount of nutrients they can actually use. Although plants are able to absorb some of the nutrients provided by synthetic fertilizers or manure, when too much chemical fertilizer or manure is applied, excess nutrients remain in the soil. These nutrients are eventually washed out of the soil and into ground and surface waters. The two major nutrient pollutants released by chemical fertilizers and manure are nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P).

Know your Soil Lingo

Natural fertilizer: fertilizer composed entirely of organic matter such as manure and compost. USDA "Certified Organic" produce can only be grown using natural fertilizers (no synthetic fertilizers may be used.)

Synthetic/Chemical fertilizer:
manmade fertilizer manufactured by the chemical industry. They are composed primarily of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, but lack the organic matter contained in natural fertilizers.

Compost:
A nutrient-rich mixture of decaying organic matter (typically leaves and other plant parts) used as fertilizer for plants.

Nutrient PollutionNutrient pollution damages aquatic ecosystems by stimulating the rapid growth of algae. This reduces the aesthetic and recreational values of waterways, and harms many other living organisms. When the algae die, the process of decomposition uses oxygen dissolved within the water - this oxygen depletion eventually kills fish and other aquatic organisms.

According to the 1998 National Water Quality Inventory conducted by the EPA, 30 percent of surveyed rivers, 44 percent of surveyed lakes, and 23 percent of surveyed estuaries were contaminated with unsafe levels of nutrient pollution.^xvi

Nutrient pollutants washed from agricultural soils also degrade coastal environments - in fact, more than 60% of U.S. coastal rivers and bays are moderately or severely damaged by nutrient pollution.^xvii Excess nutrients degrade coral reefs and seagrass beds, reduce aquatic biodiversity, induce algal blooms, and cause tremendous fish kills.^xviii Nutrient pollution is also thought to induce outbreaks of Pfiesteria.^xix This toxic dinoflagelate (type of algae) emits a toxin that breaks down the skin tissue of fish, causing bleeding sores or legions.^xx Pfiesteria outbreaks have caused major fish kills and are thought to cause memory loss, confusion, respiratory problems, and skin problems in humans.^xxi

Nitrogen Pollution and Human HealthNutrient pollution also affects human health by contaminating local water supplies. Nitrogen-contaminated groundwater is harmful to humans, particularly to vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and people who have suppressed immune systems.^xxiiInfants who drink water contaminated with nitrates can suffer from methemoglobinemia, or blue baby syndrome, a condition that can cause brain damage or death. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has also linked high levels of nitrates in drinking water to spontaneous abortions in women.^xxiii

Additional Soil Damage Caused by Synthetic Fertilizers and CAFO ManureAlthough synthetic fertilizers add necessary nutrients to cropland, unlike manure, they fail to restore organic matter to the soil and have been shown to adversely affect soil productivity. Regular use of synthetic fertilizers causes long-term depletion of organic matter, soil compaction, and degradation of overall soil quality.^xxiv Over-fertilization also causes important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium to gradually leach out of the soil.^xxv

Manure from CAFOs can also degrade soil quality. For instance, since heavy metals are added to animal feed in order to promote growth, manure can contain trace amounts of metals such as arsenic, copper, selenium, and zinc.^xxvi The high concentration of manure in CAFO lagoons enable heavy metals to accumulate in the surrounding environment, contaminating soil, poisoning wildlife, and polluting groundwater.^xxvii

CAFO manure also contains disease-causing pathogens and residues of hormones and antibiotics. When untreated manure is applied to fields, these substances can be washed over and through soil, contaminating groundwater and surface water.

For more information about the damages caused by CAFOs, see the Environment and Public Health Threats pages.

Sustainable Nutrient ManagementSustainable nutrient management techniques allow farmers to maintain healthy, productive soils for crops without degrading the environment.

Small-scale sustainable farms are able to recycle nutrients by fertilizing their crops using compost and manure produced by their livestock. While CAFOs raise hundreds or thousands of animals, producing far too much manure to be safely absorbed by the surrounding land, sustainable farms only raise small numbers of animals, creating just enough manure to fertilize crops without polluting the environment or jeopardizing human health.

This enables sustainable farms to avoid using harmful chemical fertilizers. Natural fertilizers (fertilizers composed entirely of organic materials such as manure and compost) have been shown to cause much less pollution than synthetic fertilizers. One ten-year study of maize fields revealed that fields treated with chemical fertilizers released 60% more nitrates into groundwater than fields treated with natural fertilizers.^xxviii

The USDA currently requires all Certified Organic produce to be grown without synthetic fertilizers. Likewise, organic meats must come from animals that were fed organic crops grown without chemical fertilizers.

Cover CropsSustainable farmers have also increased nutrient levels in the soil by growing cover crops such as rye, buckwheat, hairy vetch, clover, cowpeas, millet, and forage sorghums.^xxix When planted after harvests and chopped into no-till mulch, these cover crops help add organic matter and nutrients to fields, thereby reducing the amount of fertilizer required to grow additional crops in the future.

Bring Back the Worms

Conservation tillage, an agricultural practice which minimizes soil disturbance by eliminating or reducing tillage (plowing), helps to increase soil fertility by preserving populations of important living organisms such as earthworms, arthropods, and microorganisms. Earthworms have been shown to increase rates of water absorption and retention within the soil, reduce erosion, and stimulate underground nutrient cycling, making nutrients available to plants.^xxxii While deep and frequent tillage can reduce worm populations by as much as 90%, no-till crop systems allow these organisms to thrive.^xxxiii

Soil Fertility Benefits of No-Till SystemsIn addition to providing the erosion-reduction benefits described above, no-till systems can be used to increase soil fertility. No-till systems help soils retain moisture, decrease water runoff, prevent soil from crusting, and increase the long-term accumulation of organic matter.^xxx Furthermore, no-till soils are able to retain more oxygen since they aren't compacted by the heavy machinery used in conventional systems.^xxxi

Did You Know?

• Wind erosion can transport soil particles thousands of miles; soil particles from Africa have been found as far as Brazil and Florida.^xxxiv
• Since wind erosion releases fine dust particles into the air, it poses a potential threat to human health.^xxxv
• Every year, the U.S. spends more than $520 million to dredge waterways clogged with soil sediment.^xxxvi
• In 2002, no-till planting systems were used on more than 55 million acres of land in the U.S. - almost 20 % of total planted land.^{xxxvii xxxviii}
• Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution is the primary source of damage to coastal waters in the U.S.^xxxil
• Nutrient pollution has created an oxygen-depleted "dead-zone" in the Gulf of Mexico. This 7,700 square mile section of water (an area approximately the size of New Jersey), is now devoid of aquatic life.^xxxl
• In the U.S., approximately 40% of all chemical fertilizers applied to fields eventually changes into ammonia and is released into the atmosphere.^xxxli
• The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that in 1995, 37% of all nitrogen and 65% of all phosphorus inputs to watersheds in the central U.S. were derived from manure.^xxxlii