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CBF: New USDA Standards To Help Farmers, Waterways

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- The Chesapeake Bay Foundation says new federal agriculture recommendations for fertilizer and manure application will lead to better water quality in rivers and streams while also helping farmers increase profits.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released the new nutrient management standard on Tuesday. The standard will be used by the USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service to help farmers and ranchers apply fertilizer and manure more efficiently. The release of the new standard follows assessments in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the Upper Mississippi River basin, and the Great Lakes basin.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation also says the new recommendations will most likely lead to increased demand for alternative uses for manure, including waste-to-energy plants that also have environmental benefits.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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