The Nitrogen Pollution Crisis

Nitrogen—a crucial component in modern agriculture—is routinely overused without adequate safeguards. As a result, nearly half of the nitrogen fertilizer applied to croplands is not even absorbed by plants; instead, it washes into rivers and groundwater or is released into the air.  

This lost nitrogen is not harmless. Nitrate-contaminated groundwater has been linked to blue baby syndrome, certain cancers, and thyroid disorders while gaseous nitrogen emissions contribute to fine-particle air pollution and smog precursors that exacerbate asthma and other respiratory diseases. Excess nitrogen can devastate aquatic ecosystems by fueling harmful algal blooms and creating low-oxygen dead zones that suffocate aquatic life. And it contributes to the climate crisis through emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), a greenhouse gas roughly 273 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide. 

Decades of voluntary programs have failed to curb overapplication of nitrogen fertilizers and manure, leaving communities with unsafe drinking water, ecosystems in decline, and taxpayers footing the bill for costly remediation. The science shows that improving nitrogen management by reducing fertilizer overapplication and minimizing nitrogen discharge is both feasible and effective, and doing so would deliver cleaner water, healthier ecosystems, and significant climate benefits without sacrificing agricultural productivity.  

To achieve these outcomes, states must move beyond education and incentives and adopt enforceable, outcome-based standards. Paired with robust technical assistance, targeted financial support, and shared accountability on the part of fertilizer and food companies, these measures can create a level playing field for farmers and drive innovation and expansion in sustainable farming practices.