Aug. 14, 2015
Like their peers in other regions of the state, Everglades Agricultural Area farmers conserve and protect water resources every day. They have now received another accolade for their successes.
At the August meeting of the South Florida Water Management District’s governing board, officials gave the agriculturists a standing ovation for their accomplishments. Between May 2014 and April 2015 farmers in the area slashed the phosphorus content of water leaving their properties by 79 percent.
This exceptional tally has been achieved in addition to reductions made in the past 20 years. By implementing state-of the-art conservation systems, farm families have prevented more than 3,000 metric tons of phosphorus from entering the Everglades.
“Two decades of successfully meeting and exceeding phosphorus reductions to improve Everglades water quality is a great accomplishment,” said Daniel O’Keefe, chairman of the water management district’s board. “South Florida’s agricultural communities are clearly demonstrating a long-term commitment to restoration.”
For more information, visit http://www.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/sfwmdmain/news.