H2Ohio grows to 2.2 million acres

By Andi Anderson

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, along with Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) Director Brian Baldridge, recently announced a significant expansion of the H2Ohio program.

An additional 500,000 acres of cropland have been enrolled, bringing the total to 2.2 million acres across the state.

“Since the very beginning of H2Ohio, farmers have shown that they are dedicated to our mission and that they want to be part of the solution for better water quality,” said Governor DeWine. “H2Ohio has been firmly established in northwest Ohio, and so it was important to expand on this progress and offer the program to farmers in the rest of the state.”

Initially, H2Ohio incentives were available only in northwest Ohio, particularly in the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB). In this region, 2,600 producers are actively implementing best management practices (BMPs) on over 1.8 million acres of farmland.

In April, Governor DeWine announced the statewide expansion of producer incentives, making the program accessible to farmers outside of the WLEB for the first time.

The first round of statewide enrollment saw over 525 producers from 51 additional counties meeting the 500,000-acre goal set by the ODA.

Currently, more than 3,000 producers have enrolled 2.2 million acres of cropland in the H2Ohio initiative.

“Time and time again, Ohio farmers continue to demonstrate their dedication to conserving our most precious resource,” said ODA Director Brian Baldridge. “In order to provide quality and quantity crop yields to feed Ohio’s families, farmers must have healthy soil and clean water. H2Ohio is directly connected to that effort, and we are thrilled to see the tremendous support from producers across the rest of the state.”

Newly enrolled H2Ohio producers will develop and implement a Voluntary Nutrient Management Plan (VNMP). These plans help assess and mitigate the risks of agricultural nutrient runoff, which contributes to poor water quality.

Local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) in the newly participating counties are collaborating with producers, crop consultants, and agricultural retailers to develop VNMPs over the next two years.

H2Ohio BMPs are based on scientific research and are proven to reduce excess nutrient runoff, leading to improved water quality.

The ODA incentivizes producers for implementing VNMPs, overwintering cover crops, manure incorporation and utilization, and subsurface phosphorus application.

H2Ohio is Governor DeWine’s statewide water quality initiative designed to tackle complex issues affecting Ohio’s waters.

Launched in 2019, H2Ohio employs a comprehensive, science-based approach to reduce algal blooms, prevent pollution, and enhance access to clean drinking water by supporting best farming practices, reducing road salt runoff, cleaning up litter, removing dams, conserving land, and revitalizing water infrastructure.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-alexeyrumyantsev