Modern agriculture relies heavily on pesticides and fertilizers to increase crop yields, but the large quantities used have adverse environmental and health effects. Over 1 billion tons of pesticides and 54.9 million tons of fertilizers are used annually in the US, contaminating drinking water and accumulating in the food chain. Runoff carries these toxic chemicals into waterways, where they kill aquatic life and cause algal blooms. Exposure to pesticides is linked to health issues like cancer, birth defects, and neurological problems in both humans and wildlife. Efforts are being made through watershed groups and improved farming practices to reduce pollution and remediate contaminated areas.

1. The Effects of Modern Agriculture
On the Environment

2. Outline
I. What is Modern Agriculture?
II. Hazards, Concerns, Sources of Contamination
III. Exposure
IV. Fate of Being Exposed
V. Remediation Techniques

3. I. What is Modern Agriculture?
 Agriculture itself is defined as the science or occupation of
farming
 In America, it has been relied upon since the colonial days
 As the population grew, less land was available

4.  With a high demand for food, farmers were forced to produce
higher yields
 Fast forward and now we have modern agriculture

5.  Modern agriculture is practically the intensification of farming,
allowing large yields
 Modern agriculture is possible through implementation of:
Fertilizers, pesticides, farm machinery, and hybrid strains of crops

6.  Pesticide is being sprayed onto crops

7.  To produce efficient yields, farmer’s rely heavily on the use of
these chemically manufactured products
 Improper use of these chemicals has had adverse effects on
the environment, as well as human and animal life

8. II. Hazards, Concerns, Sources of
Contamination
 Pesticides are toxic chemicals used to kill pests, insects, and
rodents
 Fertilizers are plant nutrients, which are used to provide
excess supplements to enhance plant growth
 Fertilizers contain three nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and
potassium

9.  According to the EPA, over 1 billion tons of pesticides are
used each year in the U.S.
1 billion tons = 2.0x1012 pounds
 This massive amount of pesticide used every year on crops is
composed of toxic chemicals

10.  According to the fertilizer institute, 54.9 million tons of
fertilizer is used each year in the U.S.

11.  There are large quantities of pesticides and fertilizers used in
agriculture each year
 This translates to a lot of toxic chemicals and excess nutrients
being released into the environment

12. III. How We Become Exposed
 There are many ways that humans and animals are exposed to
these toxic chemicals

13.  Runoff

14.  Human exposure:
Drinking Water Contamination
Excess pesticides and fertilizers are carried away from farms as
surface runoff, making their way to rivers, lakes, and streams
As a result drinking water supplies can contain unacceptable levels of
these toxic chemicals

15.  Human exposure:
Drinking Water Contamination
Water percolates down through the soil and contaminates
groundwater wells, as the water carries the pesticides and fertilizers
with it
 According to Washington Post, 1/3 of all groundwater wells fall below EPA standards for
nitrate, which is a nutrient found in fertilizer

16.  Human exposure:
Food Chain
Eating animal products that were exposed to fertilizers and pesticides
Residue
Pesticide and fertilizer residue is left on crops and ingested by
humans

17.  Animal and Aquatic Exposure:
Eating and Drinking
Animals can become poisoned by eating the rodents killed with
pesticides, or being exposed to them on the farm
They can also be poisoned by drinking contaminated water sources
affected by runoff
Predatory birds can become poisoned by eating fish that are
contaminated

18.  Animal and Aquatic Exposure:
Runoff
The aquatic ecosystem takes the brunt of the effects from these toxic
chemicals
Agricultural runoff finds its way into rivers, lakes, and streams
Both pesticides and fertilizers do major damage

19.  Animal and Aquatic Exposure:
Runoff
Pesticides can cause unintentional fish kills, which range from small
to large
Frogs, turtles, mussels, water birds and more are affected

20.  Animal and Aquatic Exposure:
 Runoff
Phosphorus from fertilizers create toxic algal blooms in the water
These blooms deplete the dissolved oxygen and suffocate aquatic life

21. IV. Fate of Being Exposed
 Exposure to these toxic chemicals are harmful to humans,
wildlife, and the environment

22.  Human Health:
Exposure to pesticides has been linked to a wide range of health
hazards
Headaches, nausea, eye nerve damage, dizziness, fatigue,
infertility/reproductive harm, endocrine system disruption, birth
defects, and cancer; to name a few symptoms

23.  Human Health:
Cancer is the worst of the hazards caused by pesticides
Studies have shown the most prevalent forms of cancer caused by
pesticides are: leukemia, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, brain, bone,
breast, ovarian, prostate, testicular, and liver

24.  Wildlife Health:
Pesticides and fertilizers both play a hand in killing aquatic life
Fish and other wildlife species, including endangered birds have
all been poisoned by these toxic chemicals

25.  Environmental Hazards:
Soil is degraded by overuse of pesticides and fertilizers, leaving it
susceptible to erosion
Soil erosion clogs rivers and streams and causes flooding which
destroys fish habitats
Erosion also degrades the soil by stripping the organic matter,
nutrients, and soil fines

26. V. Remediation

27.  What’s Being Done
Watershed Efforts
Diverse groups of people make efforts to reduce pollution
Nutrient Management
Conservation Tillage
Method used by farmers; a reduction of tilling fields
Organic Farmers
Refrain from using toxic chemicals

28.  What Can Be Done
Stricter Testing
State and Federal agencies providing stricter laws and enforcing
them
Remove all toxic chemicals from system
The public should be made aware of the chemicals used
Buffers
Trees planted near water sources would filter excess nutrients before
they reach the water source