Agricultural Pollution - Essay Example

Heedless to the consequences of the over production and sole dedication to the corn production, the ground has been deprived of the nutrients it should have to nurture other plants, the water has been polluted with the many chemical dosing of pesticides and fertilizers for corn production, and production of toxic wastes as by-products of corn production and manufacture. Also, over eating of corn for steers, calves and other animals are causing health problems such as mad cow disease thereby affecting human consumers of these meats (Codesmity,2007).

Corn derived food products such as corn sweeteners and syrups are causing obesity to the human population. Overwhelming production of corn results to environmental and agricultural pollution and general health degradation for both humans and animals. There are many corn derived products that dominates the market today. Products with corn ingredients such as corn starch, corn oil, lecithin, corn flour, citric acid, glycirides, Chicken nuggets, margarine, salad dressing, cosmetics, toothpaste, mustard, corn syrup, sweeteners, linoleum, fiberglass and many more are used in the daily activities of man (Collins, D., 2006). USA has wide and dedicated farmlands for corns alone.

Farms found such as in Iowa, where around 2 million farms are found are said to produce around 2 bushels of corn yield per acre. Hybrid corns are even developed and promoted which multiplied production to around 200 bushels per acre. Further, the government issued farm bills that subsidized corn farms has further encouraged more American farmers to produce corns alone forgetting all the other crops (Pollan, Michael, 2006, p 32). Corn manufacturers have also widened their research and development to process corn into various products, thus, there are many produced products in the market that includes corn as main ingredient.

It is no harm to plant and manufacture corn as indeed there are many products that can be derived from the production of corn. However, with the intensified dedication of farmlands to the production of corn has made the balance of nature become skewed. Overwhelming the lands with one crop has degraded the soil due to the lack of nutrients that the single crop production has caused. By nature, corn is a greedy plant as described by both agriculturists and farmers. Planting corns requires intensive need for nitrogen fertilizers as compared with other crops.

In fact, an island size “dead zone” has been created in the Mexico Gulf due to the accumulated nitrogen run-off from the corn fields into the water. It also requires more pesticides to drive out pests and have them grow to their desired output (Penguin Group USA, 2013). Due to this chemical application, air and water are inclined to be polluted with chemicals from fertilizers and pesticides. Water is then contaminated affecting nearby areas relying on the body of water for their daily use.

In addition, massive corn production has forced many manufacturers to include corn ingredients in almost all products thereby making these goods cheaper against the others. Thus, these food products, mostly composed of sweeteners are more easily consumed by the public causing obesity to almost majority of the population. Ergo, the massive and intensified corn production due to the single crop production of corn in many parts of the USA, agricultural pollution and soil degradation is indeed inevitable affecting the general health.

There is no harm in corn production, but too much dedication of single handed crop production of this plant is not healthy. Soil needs to be planted with various crops in order to gain diverse nutrients necessary for the soil condition. Waters need to be free from pollutants derived from fertilizers