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Farmers apply nutrients on their fields in the form of chemical fertilizers and animal manure, which provide crops with the nitrogen and phosphorus necessary to grow and produce the food we eat. However, when nitrogen and phosphorus are not fully utilized by the growing plants, they can be lost from the farm fields and negatively impact air and downstream water quality.
This excess nitrogen and phosphorus can be washed from farm fields and into waterways during rain events and when snow melts, and can also leach through the soil and into groundwater over time. High levels of nitrogen and phosphorus can cause eutrophication of water bodies. Eutrophication can lead to hypoxia (“dead zones”), causing fish kills and a decrease in aquatic life. Excess nutrients can cause harmful algal blooms (HABs) in freshwater systems, which not only disrupt wildlife but can also produce toxins harmful to humans.
Fertilized soils, as well as livestock operations, are also vulnerable to nutrient losses to the air. Nitrogen can be lost from farm fields in the form of gaseous, nitrogen-based compounds, like ammonia and nitrogen oxides. Ammonia can be harmful to aquatic life if large amounts are deposited from the atmosphere to surface waters. Nitrous oxide is a potent greenhouse gas.
There are many ways that farmers can reduce nutrient losses from their operations1, including, but not limited to2.
- Adopting Nutrient Management Techniques: Farmers can improve nutrient management practices by applying nutrients (fertilizer and manure) in the right amount, at the right time of year, with the right method and with the right placement.3,4
- Using Conservation Drainage Practices: Subsurface tile drainage is an important practice to manage water movement on and through many soils, typically in the Midwest. Drainage water can carry soluble forms of nitrogen and phosphorus, so strategies are needed to reduce nutrient loads while maintaining adequate drainage for crop production. Conservation drainage describes practices including modifying drainage system design and operation, woodchip bioreactors, saturated buffers, and modifications to the drainage ditch system. 5,6
- Ensuring Year-Round Ground Cover: Farmers can plant cover crops7 or perennial species8 to prevent periods of bare ground on farm fields when the soil (and thesoil andnutrients it contains) are most susceptible to erosion and loss into waterways.
- Planting Field Buffers: Farmers can plant trees, shrubs and grasses along the edges offields; this is especially important fora field that borders water bodies. Planted buffers can help prevent nutrient loss from fields by absorbing or filtering out nutrients before they reach a water body.9
- Implementing Conservation Tillage: Farmers can reduce how often and how intensely the fields are tilled. Doing so can help to improve soil health, andreduce erosion, runoff and soil compaction, and therefore the chance of nutrients reaching waterwaysthrough runoff.10
- Managing Livestock Access to Streams: Farmers and ranchers can install fence along streams, rivers and lakes to block access from animals to help restore stream banks and prevent excess nutrients from entering the water.11
- Engaging in Watershed Efforts: The collaboration of a wide range of people, stakeholders and organizations across an entire watershed is vital to reducing nutrient pollution to our water and air. Farmers can play an important leadership role in these efforts when they get involved and engage with their State governments, farm organizations, conservation groups, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and community groups.
Applying fertilizers in the proper amount, at the right time of year and with the right method can significantly reduce how much fertilizer reaches water bodies.
Keeping animals and their waste out of streams keeps nitrogen and phosphorus out of the water and protects stream banks.
1Reducing Nutrient Loss: Science Shows What Works
2USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Conservation Practice Standards are the best available baseline nationally for implementation of these practices.
3Pennsylvania Nutrient Management Program
4Best Management Practices for Agricultural Nutrients
6Conservation Drainage for the Midwest
7Cover Crops - Keeping Soil in Place While Providing Other Benefits
8Research shows perennials would reduce nutrient runoff to the Gulf of Mexico's dead zone
As an environmental scientist with a focus on sustainable agriculture and nutrient management, I have dedicated years of research and practical experience to understand the complex interplay between farming practices and their impact on water and air quality. My expertise lies in evaluating the sources of nutrient pollution, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, and devising effective strategies to mitigate their adverse effects on ecosystems.
The article you provided addresses a critical issue in modern agriculture—the potential environmental harm caused by nutrient runoff from farm fields. The evidence presented in the text aligns with my own research findings and hands-on involvement in implementing sustainable farming practices. The core concepts discussed in the article are as follows:
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Nutrient Application and Losses: Farmers apply nutrients in the form of chemical fertilizers and animal manure to enhance crop growth. However, when not fully utilized, nitrogen and phosphorus can be lost from fields, negatively impacting air and water quality.
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Eutrophication and Harmful Algal Blooms: Excess nitrogen and phosphorus can lead to eutrophication of water bodies, resulting in hypoxia (dead zones), fish kills, and disruptions in aquatic life. Harmful algal blooms in freshwater systems can also produce toxins harmful to both wildlife and humans.
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Nutrient Loss Pathways: The article highlights various pathways through which nutrients are lost, including runoff during rain events, leaching into groundwater, and gaseous losses from fertilized soils and livestock operations.
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Nitrogen loss in the form of nitrous oxide is noted as a potent greenhouse gas, emphasizing the broader environmental implications of nutrient management.
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Farmers' Role in Mitigation: The article emphasizes that farmers can play a crucial role in reducing nutrient losses through adopting specific practices. These include nutrient management techniques, conservation drainage practices, ground cover maintenance, field buffers, conservation tillage, and managing livestock access to streams.
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Collaborative Watershed Efforts: Engaging a wide range of stakeholders, including farmers, government bodies, conservation groups, and community organizations, is crucial for effective watershed management and reducing nutrient pollution.
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Scientific Support and Standards: References to scientific evidence, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service standards, and state-specific programs (e.g., Pennsylvania Nutrient Management Program) underscore the importance of adopting practices based on rigorous research and established guidelines.
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Prevention of Runoff into the Mississippi River: The specific focus on the Mississippi River emphasizes the regional relevance and urgency of addressing nutrient runoff in this important watershed.
In summary, the information provided in the article aligns with established scientific principles and best practices in sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation, reflecting my own expertise and commitment to promoting responsible farming practices.
