Iowa City, Iowa-Agriculture interests claim that their industry is doing its part in keeping nutrient runoff from polluting the state’s waterways, which the Iowa Policy Project charges has reached the point where state and federal regulations are required to do the job. “State policy has left Iowa waterways open to contamination by bacteria resulting from phosphorus and other nutrients in runoff from both farm fields and urban sources,” the IPP report maintains. “Blue-green algae – which some call pond scum – in lakes or other waterways in Iowa can signal the proliferation of cyanobacteria, which in some cases produce toxins that can harm people, animals and the environment.” In 2008 and 2009, the report noted, the Des Moines source waters had elevated levels above the point where water treatment problems may emerge. In 2004, high levels of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins at Carter Lake were found after swimmers complained of rashes and analysts saw other indications of a cyanobacterial “bloom.” The report said voluntary conservation practices in agriculture are not enough to deal with the issue, and that it’s time for the state and federal governments to establish new rules for farmers and for those who apply chemicals on lawns to address runoff issues. But that’s not necessary, responds Rick Robinson, Iowa Farm Bureau environmental policy adviser, who pointed to an Iowa Department of Natural Resources estimate that concludes less than five percent of the nutrients from farms and other sources winds up running off. “I think most reasonable people would understand that given 35 inches of rainfall a year in Iowa, that’s really pretty good news,” Robinson said. “It’s unfortunate that there are groups out there continually trying to find problems, I think, with Iowa agriculture and probably don’t realize the good job that Iowa farmers are already doing.” He said the estimate that four to five percent of all available nutrients, not just fertilizer, runs off into waterways was developed before new state rules restricting manure application on frozen ground went into effect, which could reduce that run-off estimate. “There’s been a number of regulations put in place,” Robinson insisted. “So all those things, over time, have contributed to less and less nutrients leaving the landscape.” On top of this, he added, commercial fertilizers and herbicides cost money, so farmers use only what’s necessary.
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain