no feathers ruffled here. I am just trying to educate the non farm community. THe finger always gets pointed our way when it comes to run off. There is no doubt that farmers contribute to the problem. In the article you just posted though it states that millions of dollars in fertilizer end up in the rivers. I am not sure how accurate that number would be. The phosphate fertilizers applied today for the most part are deficient applied. What I mean is farmers apply phosphorus at rates less than they should to maintain yields. When I first started working 16 years ago, farmers broadcast applied phosphourus on every acre they farmed. Not the case today. Most fields i work with are variable rate applied when it comes to phosphourus, and most fields do not call for any at all. Row starter is used on corn, but most commonly only about 35-40 lbs per acre of phosphourus are applied to the entire crop.
Now if you want me to ruffle feathers...how many of you guys live in the burbs or city and put fertilizer on your yards or pay someone to do it once twice or more times a year? I won't go thru the numbers but lets just say that on a per acre basis, homeowners put WAY more fertilizer(especially phosphourus) ;on their yards than a farmer does on his fields. Now when you have weather events like we have had lately what stands in the way of the storm sewer and the lake? Not miles upon miles of farmground, filter strips, and creeks. Water coming from farm country is filtered a lot before it hits the maumee or detroit river. Because of the sheer volume of acres that drain to these two rivers though, farmers will never be able to completely not be to blame. As I said earlier management practices are in place, and we are all looking for new practices to employ, with the goal of reducing our portion of the problem. We all want to be as efficient as possible while still making decisions that make economic sense as well.
I apologize if anyone is upset, and I will get off the soapbox now. good luck to all fishing and be safe everyone