Essay Sample on Agricultural Pollution

Introduction

Agricultural pollution has in recent time's affected biodiversity in an adverse manner. Their effect is associated with loss of ecosystem and destruction of the surrounding environmental sites which consist of living organisms. Agriculture, being a major source of livelihood for the US population contributes highly to the destruction of natural ecosystems. Agrochemicals are intentionally released in large amounts into the environment with the aim of enhancing agricultural production (Bowmer, 2018). Moreover, prohibiting their usage would not be politically or economically feasible as it would result in a rise in the prices of food, food shortages and famine due to the destruction of the crops by pests and diseases.

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This is a negative externality that affects not only the surrounding population through air pollution but also the aquatic systems through water pollution. To control the externality, the government has established policies that provide subsidies to the vice. These policies would require farmers in industrialized countries to change their farming habits through enforced government regulations (Bowmer, 2018). These include a regulation on the use of agrochemicals with the government requirement to establish objective data on the damage the chemicals used would pose to the environment. Some of the subsidies established by the government to reduce environmental pollution from agrochemicals include agricultural grants for erosion control, low-interest loans for small farmers and grants for land conservation. These subsidies have been relatively efficient in controlling the problem over the years ("EPA", 2019). However, the government should invest more in research to help develop cheaper and more environmentally friendly agrochemicals and agricultural processes, i.e., the use of sentinels ("Sentinel", 2019).

I've learned a lot from this assignment regarding negative externalities and the use of subsidies to control the vice. I would apply what I've learned in various ways at the workplace. I'll ensure that my company works in accordance with the stipulated government's laws and regulations in ensuring that it minimizes the effects that it may pose to the environment and surrounding population in form of negative externalities.

References

Bowmer, K. (2018). Agrochemical Pollutants - Environmental Science - Oxford Bibliographies. (2019). Oxfordbibliographies.com. Retrieved 16 March 2019, from http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199363445/obo-9780199363445-0093.xml

EPA (2019). Economic Incentives | US EPA. (2014). US EPA. Retrieved 16 March 2019, from https://www.epa.gov/environmental-economics/economic-incentives

"Sentinel" (2019). Agrochemical Water Treatment Plant - WMEC Ltd.. (2019). Sentinel. Retrieved 16 March 2019, from https://www.sentinelplant.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwvbLkBRBbEiwAChbckRdAtSqJBusFOh6OwCAn8xF3q3RlapkURwr01OY-lfli5Z_8-1akchoCvtQQAvD_BwE