Environmental performance of agriculture sector: still too many nutrients and chemicals

• Germany European Union

• Soil Environment Agriculture

> Automatically translated from German <

Environmental issues 2018. Environment and Agriculture "[Data on the Environment 2108 - Environment and agriculture] by the German Environment Agency (UBA). In particular, the sector's concentration on a small number of crops, the high levels of fertilizer and plant protection product application on fields, and veterinary drugs are still straining biodiversity and polluting water, soil and air more than necessary. UBA's President Maria Krautzberger expressed her wish for the next round of reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), saying: "Common Agricultural Policy reform will eventually come to a standstill those which do the most for the environment. For example, they may apply fertilizer in a more targeted way, use fewer pesticides or create blooming strips and ecological compensation areas for insects. Greater ecological good must not be a niche issue. We need more protection of the environment so at conventional farms. "

Nitrogen: Massive nitrogen surpluses occur in regions where intensive livestock farming is common. Nitrogen enters groundwater, lakes and rivers through slurry in the form of nitrates, has a eutrophying effect and generates costs in drinking water production. Ammonia and nitrous oxide gases in the air, with a number of consequences: firstly, soil acidification and loss of biodiversity, and secondly, nitrous oxide driving climate change and more damaging than 

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