Agriculture and water quality. Agriculture Information Bulletin
Agriculture generates byproducts that may contribute to the contamination of the Nation's water supply. Any effective regulations to ban or restrict agricultural-chemical or land-use practices in order to improve water quality will affect the farm economy. Some farmers will benefit; some will not. Most agricultural pollutants reach surface waterways in runoff; some leach through soil into ground water. Because surface-water systems and ground water systems are interrelated, farm-management practices need to focus on water quality in both systems. Modifying farm-management practices may raise production costs in some areas. Farmers can reduce runoff losses by reducing input use, implementing soil-conservation practices, and changing land use. Also at issue is who should pay for improving water quality.
- Research Organization:
- Economic Research Service, Washington, DC (USA). Resources and Technology Div.
- OSTI ID:
- 6801495
- Report Number(s):
- PB-89-104327/XAB; USDA/AIB-548
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CONTROL
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FARMS
FERTILIZERS
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LAND USE
LEGISLATION
MASS TRANSFER
NUTRIENTS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PESTICIDES
POLLUTION CONTROL
RESOURCE CONSERVATION
RUNOFF
SEDIMENTS
SOIL CONSERVATION
SURFACE WATERS
TAXES
WATER
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL