Farm*A*Syst: Farmstead Assessment System

Purpose and Background

Farm*A*Syst in Pennsylvania

Farm*A*Syst stands for Farmstead Assessment System, and is a self-evaluation that farmers and rural landowners can use to evaluate how on-farm management practices and activities might be a risk to ground water and therefore the farm's drinking water supply.  It was first targeted at practices used around the farm buildings and other structures because they are usually located close to the farm's well, and are also commonly overlooked when farm conservation plans are developed.  Farm*A*Syst is totally confidential.  Completed evaluations are meant to be kept by the landowner for his or her own use. However, if landowners do want advice, each Farm*A*Syst worksheet identifies public agencies that can offer assistance or that have a regulatory role.

Farm*A*Syst was first developed in Minnesota and Wisconsin in 1991 as part of a cooperative project between the University of Wisconsin-Extension, Minnesota Extension Service, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  Since its original development Farm*A*Syst has been adapted to many other states and Canadian provinces, and a national Farm*A*Syst office has been created to offer advice and guidance to groups interested in adapting Farm*A*Syst to their local conditions.  As Farm*A*Syst was revised for use in other regions, it was often expanded to include assessment of other areas on the farm such as cropfields, stream corridors, and woodlands.

Farm*A*Syst use in Pennsylvania began in the Pequea-Mill Creeks Project, Lancaster County, and a version designed for statewide use in Pennsylvania was developed in 1997.

Following the success of Farm*A*Syst, a version targeted at homeowners has been developed and is called Home*A*Syst. Ordering information can be found on the national Home*A*Syst Home Page.