Promoting BMPs in the nursery production systems for the Mid-South United States by providing planning and technical assistance

Tennessee State University proposes to demonstrate conservation best management practices (BMP) and protect the natural resources from the adverse environmental impacts in the container plant nursery industry by enhancing the current Southern Nursery Industry “Guide for BMPs” and while offering salient modifications to NRCS Conservation Practice Standards that specifically address the resources concerns of the industry. By using the nine steps of conservation planning this project will demonstrate BMPs on nursery producer’s land and land grant university experiment stations to promote the use of conservation practices. A cadre of extension and technicians will be trained to carry out the planning and implementation of these BMPs and evaluate the benefits derived. Observations during this period can then be used to develop modifications and new techniques to existing management guides, and eventually to NRCS conservation practice standards.