MoWIN: North Fork Salt River Basin

The North Fork Salt watershed is a very rich source of agricultural products, produced for livestock feed (cattle and hogs) and human consumption.

Five major crops dominate the area, corn, soybeans, wheat, sorghum and hay. Corn, sorghum and hay may be used for livestock on the farm. Surplus is marketed for cash income. Soybeans and wheat are grown exclusively for market consumption (cash income).

Farms and Farmers in the North Fork Watershed, by County, 1987-1997
County	Category	1987	1992	1997	Averages for the Period
Adair	Total Land in Farms (acres)	285,355	267,066	268,101	273,507.3
	Number of Farms	879	788	861	842.7
	Average Size of Farm (acres)	325	339	311	325.0
Knox	Total Land in Farms (acres)	292,328	268,447	280,699	280,491.3
	Number of Farms	651	587	602	613.3
	Average Size of Farm (acres)	449	457	466	457.3
Macon	Total Land in Farms (acres)	393,363	381,934	380,527	385,274.7
	Number of Farms	1,172	1,127	1,155	1,151.3
	Average Size of Farm (acres)	336	339	329	334.7
Monroe	Total Land in Farms (acres)	329,889	306,175	328,200	321,421.3
	Number of Farms	953	833	886	890.7
	Average Size of Farm (acres)	346	368	370	361.3
Schuyler	Total Land in Farms (acres)	156,208	165,225	159,543	160,325.3
	Number of Farms	498	488	493	493.0
	Average Size of Farm (acres)	314	339	324	325.7
Shelby	Total Land in Farms (acres)	294,855	273,393	272,116	280,121.3
	Number of Farms	755	655	644	684.7
	Average Size of Farm (acres)	391	417	423	410.3

North Fork Watershed: Population and Land Use Percentage
County	Schuyler	Knox	Adair	Macon	Shelby	Monroe	Totals	Avg. by County
Category
Population (2002)	4,212	4,385	24,946	15,497	6,681	9,262	64,883	10,814
Square Miles	308	506	567	804	501	646	3,332	555
Acres	197,120	323,840	362,880	514,560	320,640	413,440	2,132,480	355,413
1997 Acres Harvested Cropland	55,274	123,536	91,350	139,799	159,455	174,470	743,884	123,981
Pasture Cropland	42,088	51,647	62,542	79,038	35,680	43,243	314,238	52,373
Other Cropland	13,642	32,315	17,198	30,575	15,288	22,043	131,061	21,844
Woodland Pasture	6,587	11,098	16,382	22,102	12,549	14,438	83,156	13,859
Other Pasture	29,964	24,652	48,670	64,246	17,512	30,162	215,206	35,868
Agricultural	147,555	243,248	236,142	335,760	240,484	284,356	1,487,545	247,924
Non-Agricultural	49,565	80,592	126,738	178,800	80,156	129,084	644,935	107,489
Agriculture as a percentage	0.7486	0.7511	0.6507	0.6525	0.7500	0.6878	--	0.6976

Types of crops grown may vary from year to year, depending on anticipated market prices, size, variety and productivity of the individual farm. Crops grown are limited by the availability of fertilizers, soil nutrients and/or livestock production. Careful decision-making in using fertilizers to increase a particular crop is required, as benefits may be limited.

Technology plays a role in the development of strains and varieties of high yield crops, fertilizers, livestock and livestock feed. To minimize pollution, technical and informational assistance for livestock waste disposal and fertilizer applications is available at local extension offices http://www.mowin.org/countycontacts2/countycontacts.html

Estimated Beef Cows, Milk Cows, and All Cattle and Calves, by County, 2002 - 2003
County	Beef Cows (head)		Milk Cows (head)		Cattle and Calves (head)		Value (thousands of dollars)
	2002	2003	2002	2003	2002	2003	2002	2003
Adair	21,700	22,400	300	300	37,500	39,000	25,500	25,740
Knox	14,800	15,200	n/a	n/a	33,500	34,500	22,780	22,770
Macon	24,500	25,500	400	350	47,000	48,500	31,960	32,010
Monroe	19,000	19,500	500	500	43,000	44,500	29,240	29,370
Schuyler	13,800	14,300	350	250	26,000	27,000	17,680	17,820
Shelby	11,400	12,000	50	50	29,000	30,000	19,720	19,800
Totals*	105,200	108,900	1,600	1,350	216,000	223,500	$146,880	$147,510
* For reported counties.

Hogs and Pigs, 1999
County	Inventory (head)	Value
Adair	5,000	$300,000
Knox	12,000	768,000
Macon	10,000	640,000
Monroe	56,000	3,584,000
Schuyler	3,500	224,000
Shelby	63,000	4,032,000
Totals	149,500	$9,548,000

An agricultural-related business is one that contributes to the objectives of the individual farmer. Such firms include –

Agricultural Services:

Baring Farm Services, Baring, MO

Brennan, Nancy, Excello, MO

MFA Agricultural Services, Shelbina, MO

Midwest Organic Farmer Co-Op, Perry, MO

Northeast Missouri Farm Management, Monroe City, MO

Stewart Agricultural Research, Clarence, MO

Farm Equipment:

Antal Enterprises, Lancaster, MO

Atlanta Farm Supply, Inc., Atlanta, MO

Bright Enterprises, Paris, MO

Economy Salvage, Paris, MO

Edina Farm & Home Supply, Inc., Edina, MO

Farm & Home, Kirksville, MO

Farm Shop, Edina, MO

Garry G. Taylor Equipment, Greentop, MO

Golden Grain Systems Inc., Clarence, MO

Meyer Equipment, Monroe City, MO

Meyer Implement, Monroe City, MO

MFA Agricultural Services, Downing, MO

NEMO Equipment, Edina, MO

Shelby County Equipment, Inc., Shelbina, MO

Shelby County Implement, Inc., Shelbina, MO

Sydenstricker Farm & Lawn, Inc., Kirksville, MO

Sydenstricker Farm & Lawn, Inc., Macon, MO

Sydenstricker Truck & Tractor, Macon, MO

Tractor Supply Co., Kirksville, MO

Farm Equipment, Repair & Parts:

Black Crow Enterprises, Paris, MO

Elliott Machinery, Downing, MO

Harrington's Garage, Atlanta, MO

M & S Equipment, Green Castle, MO

Martin Repair, Green City, MO

Midstate Welding, Madison, MO

Steve's Garage, Brashear, MO

Young Farm & Repair, New Cambria, MO

Fertilizers have played an important role by increasing crop yields over the years. Commercial fertilizers are a major source of nitrates. Nitrate levels exceeding the public health standard of 10 milligrams per liter (mg/l; equivalent to parts per million for water measure) have been found in many drinking-water wells. The other major components of commercial fertilizer, phosphorus and potassium generally are not a groundwater-contamination concern.

Nitrate levels in drinking water above federal and state drinking-water standards of 10 mg/l nitrate-nitrogen can be affect human and livestock health.

To minimize ground and surface water contamination (seeping or spilling), proper fertilizer handling procedures are available at local extension offices. Other potential farm sources of nitrate are septic systems, livestock yards, livestock-waste storage facilities and silage storage.

Your drinking water is least likely to be contaminated if you follow appropriate management procedures or dispose of wastes at an off-the-farm site. However, proper offsite disposal practices are essential to avoid risking contamination that could affect the water supplies and health of others. http://muextension.-missouri.edu/explore/envqual/wq0653.htm

All Fertilizer Usage in the Watershed, 1950 – 1998, in Tons
Year	Adair	Knox	Macon	Monroe	Schuyler	Shelby	Totals by Year
1950	4,744	5,534	5,732	7,921	3,134	6,034	33,099
1960	6,837	10,525	10,353	16,052	5,141	13,265	62,173
1970	6,968	12,896	15,172	12,919	4,369	19,901	72,225
1980	6,959	17,224	34,119	20,618	9,442	29,837	118,199
1985	4,525	8,997	19,894	13,624	6,186	17,912	71,138
1990	6,189	7,566	16,536	19,075	2,862	22,612	74,840
1991	11,155	6,746	15,427	18,390	2,622	22,746	77,086
1992	7,326	7,709	17,138	21,524	3,991	21,516	79,204
1993	5,956	8,411	14,092	18,637	1,619	20,122	68,837
1994	7,571	9,398	19,144	20,889	3,076	20,611	80,689
1995	4,509	6,951	13,352	17,613	1,609	17,340	61,374
1996	5,960	8,226	13,438	17,369	1,574	20,297	66,864
1997	5,588	8,735	19,669	22,814	1,137	27,724	85,667
1998	5,323	6,365	17,372	20,540	1,341	23,726	74,667
Totals by County	89,610	125,283	231,438	247,985	48,103	283,643	1,026,062

Sediment is the highest source of pollutant in the North Folk Salt Watershed. Sedimentation results when rain transports loose soil particles from the land into creeks, streams and rivers and ultimately to the lakes. Sediments are deposited on stream beds and over time can impact food availability for fish or cause streams to dry - eliminating habitat for animals that live on stream beds, such as insect larvae, darters, fish and mussels.

Excess fertilizer leaches into the soil or is washed into streams via by rainwater. Some fertilizers are a threat to small animals that use streams for drinking water. Excess atrazine and cyanazine can affect human health.

Excess animal wastes wash into streams and rivers, threatening algae, the principal food supply of aquatic animals. Animal waste can also increase the amount of bacteria in streams, one of the most threatening of which is Escherichia coli, commonly called E.coli

When nitrogen and phosphorus are available in sufficient quantity, algae are able to grow and become food for consumers. This relationship between algae and nutrients keeps the quantity of algae and their consumers in balance. When excess nutrients are washed into a stream via fertilizer or animal waste, the algae population can grow beyond that which consumers can consume. Upon their deaths, they settle to the bottom of the stream and decompose. The process of decomposition requires dissolved oxygen from the water, and can deplete dissolved oxygen required by fish. Oxygen depletion threatens ability of fish to live and reproduce.