Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7fkt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T22:24:35.076Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Ground water contamination from agricultural sources: Implications for voluntary policy adherence from Iowa and Virginia farmers' attitudes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2009

John M. Halstead ,
Steven Padgitt  and
Sandra S. Batie
John M. Halstead
Affiliation:
Assistant Professor of Resource Economics and Development, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824-3589.
Steven Padgitt
Affiliation:
Associate Professor of Rural Sociology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011.
Sandra S. Batie
Affiliation:
Professor of Agricultural Economics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24060.
Get access

Abstract

Contamination of ground water from agricultural sources has been documented in a majority of the contiguous United States. In this study, we examine the potential for voluntary adoption of management practices that reduce risk of ground water contamination and discuss how f arm operators' attitudes regarding the environment might affect the success of voluntary programs. Farmers' behavior and attitudes in Rockingham County, Virginia, and Big Spring Basin, Iowa, reveal that both groups consider the ground water issue to be a serious problem to which they are contributing. This awareness is a significant first step in prompting consideration of management practices that reduce the threat to ground water quality. We also found that the “worst offenders”—that is, farmers applying nitrogen well above agronomic recommendations-were those with the least concern about the problem. If major shifts in farming practices are to occur voluntarily, major incentives or disincentives are needed. Even though the concern about ground water quality is high, the documented risks perceived by farmers are not strongly convincing. The economic incentives for change are questionable at best. Voluntary adoption of best management practices is only one of several policy options. Ultimately, policies designed to reduce ground water contamination may need a mix of strategies, including economic incentives and disincentives, zoning and land use restrictions, environmental regulations, and bans on agricultural chemicals.

Keywords

ground waterpublic opinionpolicynitratespesticides
Type
Articles
Information
American Journal of Alternative Agriculture , Volume 5 , Issue 3 , September 1990 , pp. 126 - 133
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Amsden, T. L. 1986. Agricultural chemicals in ground water-an emerging national concern. In Proceedings of Agricultural Impacts on Ground Water-A Conference. Water Well Journal Publishing Company, Dublin, Ohio.Google Scholar
2.Anderson, G. D., Opaluch, J. J., and Sullivan, W. M.. 1985. Nonpoint agricultural pollution: Pesticide contamination of ground water supplies. American Journal of Agricultural Economics 67(5):1238–1243.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3.Blodgett, J. E. 1987. Agrichemicals and groundwater: What do we know? In Agricultural Chemicals and Groundwater Protection: Emerging Management and Policy (Proceedings of a conference). The Freshwater Foundation, St. Paul, Minnesota.Google Scholar
4.Busch, D., and Meyer, M.. 1982. A case of infantile methemoglobinemia in South Dakota. Journal of Environmental Health 44:310–311.Google Scholar
5.CAST (Council for Agricultural Science and Technology). 1985. Agriculture and ground water quality. Report No. 103. Ames, Iowa.Google Scholar
6.Cohen, S. Z., Eiden, C., and Lorber, M. N.. 1984. Monitoring ground water for pesticides. In Garner, W., Honeycutt, R. C., and Nigg, H. N. (eds.). Evaluation of Pesticides in Ground Water. ACS Symposium Series 315. American Chemical Society, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
7.Dillman, D. A. 1978. Mail and Telephone Surveys: The Total Design Method. Wiley, New York, New York.Google Scholar
8.Duffy, M. 1987. Impacts of the 1985 Food Security Act. Unpublished paper. Iowa State University Cooperative Extension Service, Ames, Iowa.Google Scholar
9.Gilbertson, C. B. 1979. Animal Waste Utilization on Cropland and Pastureland: A Manual for Evaluating Agronomic and Environmental Effects. Utilization Research Report No. 6, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
10.Givens, F. 1987. Personal communications with John M. Halstead. Department of Agricultural Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia.Google Scholar
11.Gully, J. L. 1974. Beliefs and values in American farming. ERS-558, Econ. Res. Serv., U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
12.Hallberg, G. R. 1986. From hoes to herbicides. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 41(6):357–364.Google Scholar
13.Hallberg, G. R. 1987. Agricultural chemicals in ground water: Extent and implications. American Journal of Alternative Agriculture II(1):3–15.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14.Hallenbeck, W. H., and Cunningham-Burns, K. M.. 1985. Pesticides and Human Health. Springer-Verlag, New York, New York.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15.Halstead, J. M., Batie, S. S., Kramer, R. A.. 1988. Agricultural practices and environmental attitudes of Rockingham County, Virginia, dairy fanners: Results of a survey. SP 88 – 1. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia.Google Scholar
16.Halstead, J. M., and Zhu, M.. 1987. Managing risk and uncertainty in agricultural nonpoint source contamination of ground water: Sources and-solutions (?). Paper presented at the Northeast Agricultural and Resource Economics Association Meetings, Kingston, Rhode Island, June 20–22.Google Scholar
17.Henderson, T. R., Trauberman, J. T., and Gallagher, T.. 1984. Groundwater: Strategies for State Action. The Environmental Law Institute, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
18.Hoiberg, E. O., and Bultena, G. L.. 1981. Farm operator attitudes toward governmental involvement in agriculture. Rural Sociology 46(4):381–390.Google Scholar
19.Holden, P. 1986. Pesticides and Ground Water Quality: Issues and Problems in Four States. National Academy Press, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
20.Kaap, J. D. 1986. Implementing best management practices to reduce nitrate levels in northeast Iowa groundwater. In Proceedings of Agricultural Impacts on Ground Water-A Conference. Water Well Journal Publishing Company, Dublin, Ohio.Google Scholar
21.Office of Technology Assessment (OTA). 1990. Beneath the bottom line. Agricultural approaches to reduce agrichemical contamination of groundwater. OTA-F-417. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
22.O'Hare, M., Curry, D., Atkinson, S., Lee, S., and Canter, L.. 1985. Contamination of ground water in the contiguous United States from usage of agricultural chemicals. Environmental and Ground Water Institute, Norman, Oklahoma.Google Scholar
23.Osteen, C. D., and Szmedra, P. I.. 1989. Agricultural pesticide use trends and policy issues. Agricultural Economic Report Number 622. Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
24.Padgitt, S. 1985. Farming operations and practices in Big Spring Basin. Report No. CRD229. Iowa State University Cooperative Extension Service, Ames, Iowa.Google Scholar
25.Padgitt, S. 1987. Agriculture and groundwater issues in Big Spring Basin and Winneshiek County, Iowa. Report No. CRD229A. Iowa State University Cooperative Extension Service, Ames, Iowa.Google Scholar
26.Pye, V. I., and Patrick, R.. 1983. Ground water contamination in the United States. Science 221(August 19):713–718.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27.Saliba, B. C. 1985. Irrigated agriculture and groundwater quality-a framework for policy development. American Journal of Agricultural Economics 67(5): 1231–1237.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
28.SriRamaratnam, S., Bessler, D. A., Rister, M. E., Matocha, J. E., and Novak, J.. 1987. Fertilization under uncertainty: An analysis based on producer yield expectations. American Journal of Agricultural Economics 69(2):349–357.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
29.Swartz, P. O. 1987. Nutrients: The missing link. Chesapeake Bay Citizens Report. Winter/Spring:5–7.Google Scholar