LAUSR

We have developed an add-on tool for use with the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF) that features multi-state financial analysis and field-scale nitrogen reduction tool for use when analyzing different ACPF conservation scenarios. Financial and expected field-scale nitrogen loss data are used to calculate total long-term cost and cost effectiveness of various conservation plans. Unique to the ACPF Financial and Nutrient Reduction Tool (FiNRT) is the ability to identify individual treatment areas for each practice evaluated, allowing users to create combinatorial conservation planning scenarios drawing from multiple ACPF-identified conservation practices. Financial data accounts for direct long-term annualized costs for BMP installation and management in Iowa and Minnesota. Opportunity costs of BMPs that retire cropland are spatially determined according to weighted-average crop productivity indices and land rent relationships. The tool quantifies the nitrogen requirements for each field, based on 6-year land-use data, and evaluates the proportion of nitrogen likely to be lost from the field as nitrate load via leaching. Financial analyses that can be accomplished by using the ACPF are illustrated in case study watershed scenarios in Iowa and Minnesota. In Iowa, featured scenarios range from 26% - 31% reduction in total nitrate for a total cost between $0.580 million - $2.3 million per year, respectively. In Minnesota, example scenarios range from 28% - 51% total nitrate reduction for total costs of $1.7 million - $2.1 million per year, respectively. Tradeoffs in BMP selection related to nitrogen reduction outcome and cost are also demonstrated. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.