This action approves an award in the amount of $30,630 to support florida department of agriculture and consumer services (FDACS), office of agricultural water policy (OAWP) in the state of florida

This agency is responsible for implementing regulatory programs intended to result in increasing efficiencies in agricultural commodity production and reduced water quality and supply impacts within impaired and sensitive water resource areas. The project will be used to identify and quantify additional benefits and environmental services generated from FDACS OAWP nutrient, irrigation and water resource management best management practices (BMPS) that are above and beyond established foundational baselines of efficiencies resulting from the proper implementation of BMPS under florida law. Activities: activities include: 1) review existing state law governing BMP and basin management action plan (BMAP) implementation, and the regulatory BMP baselines for agricultural producers across adopted BMP manuals 2) review established bmaps and anticipated reductions tied to BMP implementation and associated cost share projects 3) review existing cost share, public goods, and payment for environmental services programs that have been implemented at the state and federal level to identify strengths and areas for expansion and improvement 4) identify multi-faceted practices and projects that can result in additionally water resource and climate resiliency gains across the production landscape 5) develop methodologies and/or models to quantify anticipated environmental resource benefits and propose valuations for these activities where applicable BMPS are already being properly implemented and where the need exists for additional resource gains to meet established BMAP goals 6) prepare reports and supporting methodological documents and technical tools recommending any necessary amendments to state law and existing regulations to enhance existing public goods and environmental services frameworks to provide FDACS the ability to fund and implement practices and projects providing public goods and/or environmental services beyond those required under existing BMP and BMAP regulatory frameworks. Outcomes: project outcomes will be used to help develop a regulatory and/or statutory cost share framework for the payment of environmental services that are above and beyond the applicable BMPS that agricultural producers must implement under florida law to establish and maintain a presumption of compliance with state water quality standards. This framework will provide expanded incentive-based programs to achieve load allocations under established total maximum daily loads and associated basin management action plans. Deliverables: summary report of existing requirements and identification of additional practices and projects for implementation and final report. The citizens of the state of florida are direct beneficiaries of this program. Subrecipient: no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.