MIDWEST FARMERS KILLING THE GULF. Washington Post, 25 Jan.
1999.
The Post—and many other papers—reported that a researcher from Louisiana State University told the AAAS meeting this week that nitrogen fertilizer running off farm fields in the Midwest is responsible for the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. The dead zone, which grows to about 7000 square miles each summer, is depleted of oxygen causing fish to move out, immobile organisms to die, and those that love low oxygen environments to explode. No one is sure what the overall impact of this hypoxic zone is on the long term ecology of the gulf. A Purdue University economist said that farmers could lower their nitrogen use by 20% and not be hurt economically but it would probably take more than a 20% decrease to solve the problem.
The Post—and many other papers—reported that a researcher from Louisiana State University told the AAAS meeting this week that nitrogen fertilizer running off farm fields in the Midwest is responsible for the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. The dead zone, which grows to about 7000 square miles each summer, is depleted of oxygen causing fish to move out, immobile organisms to die, and those that love low oxygen environments to explode. No one is sure what the overall impact of this hypoxic zone is on the long term ecology of the gulf. A Purdue University economist said that farmers could lower their nitrogen use by 20% and not be hurt economically but it would probably take more than a 20% decrease to solve the problem.
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The root cause of the problem: Universal rule of thumb 1.2 lbs N = 1 bu
corn
Anhydrous nitrogen (78% N) costs about $0.20/lb
Corn today about $1.50 per bu - has been as high as $3.50
Result apply more than you need cause Mother Nature may give you that
really great year. When you are only allowed to make a penny a bushel you
need alot of bushels to send Cathy to college.
Further, nitrogen has mainly two forms - that which is available to the
crop and that which is unavailable - nitrate vs nitrite. Both are mobile
and highly soluble in water. If it ain't going down the river its going
toward the water table. Nitrite is a know cause of health problems in a
growing area of the country depending upon wells. In fact, in the Sand
Hill region of Nebraska farmers have to live with a nitrogen budget by State
law.
The farmers' response - Its all the cities dumping their bathroom
waste down the rivers.
I guess if your not part of the solution your just part of the
pollution? Heck I haven't even started on the issues of Soil Carbon
Credits........ One gallon of gasoline makes 28 pound of CO2.
Precision Ag anyone????? There is
only one billion acres out there.
MidnIght Mapper
