Ask a Scientist: Are Farmers Wasting Money on Fertilizer?
Opinion article (Blog, column, editorial, etc.)
09/04/2026
Description
The article argues that excessive use of synthetic fertilizer in the United States raises farmers’ costs and causes environmental harm, including nitrogen runoff, water pollution, and nitrous oxide emissions. It also points to USDA voluntary conservation programs such as EQIP and CSP as part of the solution, while noting they are underfunded.