More than four decades after the Clean Water Act, agriculture has become the biggest threat to water quality in many parts of the United States. Phosphorus and nitrogen from manure and synthetic fertilizers are causing problems not only in the Midwest, but also in places like the Gulf of Mexico, where a “dead zone” the size of the state of Connecticut has formed. Farmers are becoming more aware of agricultural nutrient pollution and many are adopting practices known to curb, if not eliminate, nutrient pollution.
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