Farming for Cleaner Waters: Safeguards for Agricultural Runoff

Water is one of our most precious resources, and we all know its purity must be protected from municipal and industrial waste. Yet many do not realize that city sewage and industrial wastewater are not the only culprits: our rivers, lakes and ponds are threatened by more "natural" sources as well.

Runoff from farms and ranches also can pollute our water supply with fertilizers, pesticides, sediment and other contaminants. Agricultural runoff and other forms of "non point source pollution" contribute greatly to the problem of keeping our waters clean. Fortunately, there are alternatives that allow farms to remain productive while also protecting our water supply and enhancing our environment. Various programs and improvement measures are now available to help farmers and landowners learn how to remain viable business operators and yet be good stewards of our water supply.

An upcoming 30-minute special episode of the national television series "TECHNO 2100" will examine the challenges agricultural runoff poses on the environment, and show what farmers and average citizens alike can do to help safeguard the quality of our water. "Farming for Cleaner Waters" will premiere on Saturday, June 29 at 3:30 PM Eastern Time (2:30 CT, 1:30 MT and 12:30 PT).

"TECHNO 2100: Farming for Cleaner Waters" is produced by Information Television Network (ITV) and is made possible by: Delaware Department of Agriculture; Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Division of Soil & Water Conservation; Florida Department of Agriculture; Florida Department of Environmental Protection; Kansas Department of Health and Environment; Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality; New York Department of Agriculture and Markets, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The program is co-hosted by Roberta Savage of the Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators (ASIWPCA) and Allan Stokes of America's Clean Water Foundation.

For information on where to view "TECHNO 2100: Farming for Cleaner Waters" or to order a VHS copy of the program, call 1-888-380-6500. Visit ITV on the internet at www.itvisus.com.

Source: Information Television Network