Edge of Field Buffers
Edge of Field (EOF) Buffers
Edge of Field Buffers are conservation practices designed to reduce nutrient and sediment loss from agricultural land. They help protect nearby streams, rivers, and lakes by filtering runoff before it reaches waterways.
EOF practices are often paired with monitoring to measure how well different conservation methods reduce nutrient loading.
Edge of Field Buffers are strips of grass, trees, or other vegetation planted along the edges of crop fields. Their purpose is to:
• Capture and filter nutrients
• Reduce erosion
• Slow runoff during storms
• Improve downstream water quality
EOF monitoring (such as through USGS programs) measures the quantity and quality of runoff leaving a field and evaluates how buffers and other conservation practices perform.
Edge of Field Buffers offer multiple benefits for both the environment and the farm:
• Reduce nutrient and soil loss
• Improve water quality
• Support pollinators and wildlife
• Help control damaging insects
• Enhance habitat diversity
• Increase long-term farm sustainability
Buffers can even improve income by protecting crop yields and reducing nutrient waste.
Field Buffers/WildlifeExamples of commonly used practices include:
• Riparian buffers
• Prairie strips
• Two‑stage ditches
• Drainage water management
• Wetlands
• Vegetative borders
These practices can be tailored to each farm’s soils, slopes, and drainage patterns.
Photo Credit: LEADING AT THE EDGE : A Roadmap to Advance Edge of Field Practices in Agriculture
Informational pdfs/links
Integrated Management of In-Field, Edge-of-Field, and After-Field BuffersEdge of Field Structures and Practices
Leading at the Edge: A Roadmap to Advance Edge of Field Practices in Agriculture