H2Ohio enrollment is open, and it is as important as ever to sign up

The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) announced a new round of H2Ohio open enrollment for producers in the 14 counties of the Maumee River Watershed project area.

Producers in the following counties are eligible to enroll or re-enroll acreage into proven, science-based, best management practices (BMPs) that contribute toward improving water quality in Lake Erie and other bodies of water:

• Allen, Auglaize, Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Lucas, Mercer, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, Williams, Wood

H2Ohio has seen immense interest with more than 2,400 producers currently enrolled. ODA urges producers who are implementing different BMPs, or producers who are thinking about implementing H2Ohio BMPs, to enroll now. The more producers who are involved in H2Ohio, the better the agricultural community can show they are dedicated to improving water quality.

To better suit producers’ needs and address unintended hurdles of the program, ODA has improved H2Ohio program delivery, including streamlined BMPs and updated incentives. Additionally, a new management software, MyFarms, will help producers and their advisors with the creation of VNMPs and with H2Ohio’s enrollment, certification, and verification processes.

SWCDs are now hosting informational sessions for producers to learn more and sign up. Producers should contact their local SWCD with questions and submit program applications.

The Ohio Agriculture Conservation Initiative (OACI) is a partnership between agriculture, conservation, environmental and research communities to recognize farmers for their dedication to advancing methods that improve water quality in Ohio and increasing the number of best management practices being implemented on farms. ODA partners with OACI to promote H2Ohio signup, education, and visibility for Ohio’s producers.

H2Ohio is a comprehensive, data-driven approach to improving water quality over the long term. H2Ohio focuses on encouraging agricultural best management practices, restoring wetlands, and replacing home septic systems to reduce nutrients that contribute to harmful algal blooms. For more information on the H2Ohio initiative, please visit h2.ohio.gov.