The phosphorus loading issue…

The phosphorus loading issue in Lake Erie is a serious issue that needs to be dealt with accordingly. My main concern though, is that the issue should be addressed using SCIENCE BASED methods to determine the root causes of P loading in Lake Erie, as well as determining the best methods of reducing P loading in the Great Lakes. I hope that we as farmers are not the only ones who get the finger pointed at on this issue, simply because we require phosphorus fertilizer for our crops. Phosphorus fertilizer is expensive, we want to keep as much of it in our soil and in our crops as possible, as well as preventing loss and causing harm to the environment.
What I think is required is funding for both farmers and urban centres to allow us all to acquire the required equipment/ infrastructure to prevent P loading. For small farmers in particular, it is hard to justify investing in top of the line precision Ag equipment as well as strip tillage equipment and fertilizer application equipment to place phosphorus under the soil surface where it is needed most for our crops, all the while minimizing soil erosion and runoff compared to conventional tillage. For cities, I believe what is required is investment to update sewage infrastructure to prevent the need to bypass sewage treatment in the event of a storm causing a system overload. We need to work together on this issue if we are going to overcome it.

[Original Comment ID: 209409]