News

Ag industry responds to nitrate pollution concerns with stewardship practices

The senior vice president of public policy and counsel at the Ag Retailers Association says the agriculture industry is actively working to manage nitrate runoff from fertilizer applications.

Richard Gupton says there are things that can be controlled, like implementing good on-farm practices when applying nutrients.

“For split applications and other things to make sure it’s staying on the field and not going in the waterways.”

He says agriculture also promotes the use of 4Rs of nutrient stewardship. 

“Using the right product, the right place, the right time, and making sure they mitigate any type of runoff.”

But Gupton says there are some factors, like weather, that are out of farmers’ hands.  

“You can’t control all of those things within agriculture, but our industry is doing everything it can to mitigate any kind of impact on the waterways and protect them.”

A recent study from Drake University and the Iowa Environmental Council says intensive agriculture is the main source of nitrate pollution in Iowa, and 83 environmental groups submitted a letter to the Trump administration asking them to declare a national public health emergency on nitrate pollution in drinking water.

Gupton says any response, at least from the EPA, is expected to be based on the law, scientific data and looking at all causes of water quality issues. He says the EPA’s Office of Water already has a Hypoxia Task Force that monitors and works to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus going in the Gulf of Mexico.