The Ohio MSEA project recognizes the importance of educating the farming community about protecting state and regional water resources. The Educational Component of the Ohio MSEA has developed an infrastructure of educational programs to collect, prepare and rapidly disseminate knowledge to a variety of audiences. These audiences include: local, county and state government officials; farmers and landowners; educational and technical agency personnel; researchers and teachers; school children; agricultural commodity groups; agricultural leaders; agricultural consultants; civic groups; and the general public. Since the initiation of project activities in 1990, the Ohio MSEA project has provided more than 75 educational programs, disseminating information to over 10,000 agricultural producers and other users annually.

Educational information targeted at the agricultural community helps increase the awareness and understanding of water resource pollution problems. Information provided on profitable innovative management systems and new technologies can aid the implementation process to protect water resources while maintaining or increasing agricultural production. Topical information has been transferred through various methods. Such topics include: MSEA project research and educational activities, general water quality topics and issues relating to agriculture, nutrient management, pesticide management, soil conservation, Best Management Practices (BMPs), and other important topics. Some of the educational information was instrumental in educating the general public about farmer participation and efforts toward water quality protection.

Farmers/landowners and educational/technical personnel across the state learned about MSEA progress through at least 10 magazine articles (i.e., national popular press magazines such as "Farm Journal," "Agricultural Research" (50 states, 40,000 readers), and the "National Conservation Tillage Digest" (29 states, 17,000 readers)), over 30 newspaper articles, two brochures and a brochure/mailer (7,000 copies each), four extension circulars (200 copies each), five newsletters (9,000 copies each), two extension fact sheets (2,750 copies each), and six local water resource fact sheets (2,000 copies each).

Colloquium, Special Events, Conferences, and Meetings

Farmers/landowners and the general public have learned about Ohio MSEA progress through:

• In 1993, an Ohio MSEA Colloquium was conducted to share MSEA project technical updates with over 125 persons, including state political representatives, the Ohio MSEA Advisory Board, researchers, educators, students, and various state and federal agency personnel. The colloquium provided a forum for the advisory board and project personnel to discuss future directions of research and educational activities and programs at the Ohio MSEA. A colloquium proceedings was developed and distributed to approximately 600 local, state and federal agency personnel in Ohio, and the MSEA management team at the National level.
  
  
• Several displays and presentations at 10 county fairs
  
  
• Ohio's annual Farm Science Review (approximately 100,000 yearly attendance)
  
  
• State and national conferences (i.e., Agricultural Research to Protect Water Quality Conference Minneapolis, MN; National Symposium on Protecting Rural America's Water Resources: Partnerships for Pollution Solutions, Washington, D.C.; 79th Annual National Association County Agricultural Agents Meeting, Casper, WY; Clean Water-Clean Environment-21st Century Conference, Kansas City, MO; Watershed '96 - Moving Ahead Together Conference, Baltimore, MA)
  
  
• Many research/educational meetings
  
  
• Many one-on-one contacts across the state and nation.

The number of persons receiving information through these channels exceeds 10,000 annually.

Ohio Water Resources Education Project

Five education in-services on Ohio's water resources were provided to more than 40 county extension agents and water quality specialists in the state. This educational activity enabled educational/technical assistance personnel to increase the public's awareness and understanding of the physical nature of water so the public can make better decisions about the proper use and protection of the State's water resources.

• Two water resource fact sheets for counties represented by the participants were developed (2,000 copies each).
  
  
• County extension agents from the four Ohio MSEA target counties (Pike, Pickaway, Ross, and Scioto) have participated in the activity.
  
  
• To date, 50 of Ohio's 88 counties have participated and 10 counties will complete the in-service and fact sheet production in 1996.

Demonstration Farms

• Farmers in the vicinity of the Ohio MSEA research site are studying the effectiveness of MSEA cultural practices on five demonstration farms. The demonstration farms allow producers to observe MSEA cultural practices under real world farming conditions. These farms also serve as field laboratories for Extension education activities in water resource use and protection, soil management, and profitable crop production alternatives. The demonstration farms are being jointly coordinated by farmers, extension agents, state specialists, district conservationists, agricultural industry representatives, and researchers.
  
  
• Best Management Practices (BMPs) have been implemented on the demonstration farms to illustrate pest and nutrient management techniques: These include: soil testing to determine fertilizer application rates and timing; Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to minimize pesticide applications and optimize pesticide efficiency; crop rotations to reduce nitrogen fertilizer use, and the impact of insect and weed infestations; winter cover crops to improve soil fertility while reducing the amount of fertilizer applied and the potential for soil erosion; and alternative farming methods that reduce application of pesticides and fertilizers (i.e. ridge-tillage reduced full-coverage pesticide application by two-thirds).
  
  
• An educational infrastructure has been developed so that future evaluation of agricultural management systems on farmer-owned sites can be continued and maintained through a cooperative effort between local and state sources.

Field Days

More than 250 farmers/landowners and other persons have learned about alternative farming methods, nutrient and pesticide management techniques, residue management, and various other Best Management Practices (BMPs) through five field days held at the Ohio MSEA research site and the demonstration farms. Some notable field days include:

• The Nutrient and Pesticide Management Field Day was conducted at the Ohio MSEA research site. Over 140 individuals from as far as 200 miles away attended the field day. A summary report of the field day presentations was distributed at the event. Additional copies were distributed in the mail to educational/technical personnel throughout the state.
  
  
• A Scioto River Valley Farm Tour was conducted at three of the five demonstration farms. Cropping and tillage systems were highlighted and guest speakers presented information on managing agricultural systems. Farmers gained factual information on new crop management strategies, how to reduce soil compaction, proper inflation of tractor tires for improved field efficiency, pesticide and nutrient management techniques, and using cover crops and other BMPs. About 65 persons visited at least one of the three farms.

In 1992, a Farmer Workshop entitled, "Common Sense Ways to Protect Farmstead Water Resources," was conducted to teach state-of-the-art information about agricultural management systems that help protect water resources while maintaining agricultural production and profitability. MSEA researchers, specialists from universities, and state and federal personnel provided approximately 25 farmers information on current water quality issues, soil testing for crop nutrient requirements, farmstead well head protection, drinking water testing, pesticide application techniques, livestock waste handling, ridge-tillage, the Midwest Water Quality Initiative and MSEA educational thrust, and Ohio MSEA education programs and Demonstration Farms.

A computer modeling workshop on the USDA model GLEAMS was conducted to train local and state agency personnel model how to use the model to assess the impact of water quality implementation projects (Section 319 projects) in Ohio. Eighteen professionals attended this five-day workshop, which was sponsored by the Ohio MSEA project, the USDA-ARS, and Ohio State University Extension.

Educational and technical assistance is also provided through one-on-one contacts and through field days at the Ohio MSEA research locations and demonstration farms.