{"id":4312,"date":"2014-09-17T14:43:36","date_gmt":"2014-09-17T18:43:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/growingreturns\/?p=4312"},"modified":"2025-06-11T13:12:42","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T17:12:42","slug":"how-the-marketplace-is-driving-clean-water-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/growingreturns\/2014\/09\/17\/how-the-marketplace-is-driving-clean-water-solutions\/","title":{"rendered":"How the marketplace is driving clean water solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"BoyMomDrinkFtn_Photos.com_87822780_4CC_RF\"<\/a>Federal and state governments aren\u2019t doing enough to keep polluted runoff from reaching America\u2019s waterways. That\u2019s the conclusion the Environmental Protection Agency \u2013 aka the federal government \u2013 has reached in a new report <\/a>from the office of its inspector general.<\/p>\n

Anyone surprised?<\/p>\n

Government has tried to reign in nutrient pollution for decades, only to watch dead zones persist in the Gulf of Mexico, Chesapeake Bay and Lake Erie. Just last month, a toxic brew of urban and agricultural runoff shut down Toledo\u2019s water for two days. Seven weeks later, many of the city\u2019s half million residents are still afraid<\/a> to drink what\u2019s coming out of the tap.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Relying on regulators to shoulder all the responsibility for cleaning up our lakes, rivers and bays is short sighted. Government can set standards, but the private sector \u2013 the farmers, industries and consumers who rely on agriculture for food, energy and jobs \u2013 can move more swiftly, and they\u2019re already making headway.<\/p>\n

Private sector takes the lead<\/b><\/p>\n

The U.S. grain supply chain has made remarkable progress in tackling the problem of fertilizer overuse, which is a major contributor to climate instability and the type of water pollution that paralyzed Toledo. Of all commodity crops grown in the United States, grains \u2013 particularly corn \u2013 use the most fertilizer.<\/p>\n

In the past year alone, businesses like Walmart, General Mills, Coca-Cola and Smithfield have developed initiatives to cut fertilizer pollution out of their grain products. Together, these companies represent 30 percent of North America\u2019s food and beverage sales. They recognize that fertilizer pollution is a supply chain risk that affects their bottom line.<\/p>\n

To meet their demand, farmers and agribusiness are developing programs to maximize fertilizer efficiency on their crops and increase the supply of \u201cclean\u201d grains. It makes good business sense for farmers, who spend nearly a quarter of their operating costs on fertilizer. They want<\/i> to produce more with less.<\/p>\n

We estimate that actions taken by these supply chain players during the past year will improve fertilizer efficiency on more than 10 million acres across the country. Think about that. In one year, the private sector committed to reducing fertilizer pollution on 10 million acres.<\/i><\/p>\n

Getting to the tipping point<\/b><\/p>\n

The EPA has set a goal of shrinking the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico by 45 percent to get it to a more manageable size. Research<\/a> by EDF scientist Eileen McClellan shows us how to get there.<\/p>\n