use and gain protection of crop yields and lower incidences 

 of some human diseases at the cost of considerable long-run 

 damages to environmental conditions and increased risks to 

 human health. 



Insecticides may not only destroy insects and a wide range of other land 

 animals, but some of the chemicals are carried by runoff into lakes and 

 rivers. Some waters may be so badly polluted that fish and other aquatic 

 organisms may die. Long-term effects are contamination of drinking water and 

 chemical accumulation in the food chain. 



Nutrients in runoff from farm lands that are enriched by chemical ferti- 

 lizers may cause accelerated eutrophication in the receiving waters. The 

 results may be noxious algal growth, excessive aquatic plant growth, and in 

 some cases, oxygen depletion and fish kills. Water hyacinth in Florida is a 

 particularly difficult problem. These floating plants clog waterways and 

 lakes, tie up nutrients, and obliterate underwater photosynthesis. Practical 

 control of these plants is unknown. 



Eventually the use of pesticides and chemicals may be reduced without 

 decreasing the yield and quality of farm products. The use of strong, more 

 resistant plant strains, sterile males, insects that feed on pests, enforced 

 diseases, and the use of radiation are means of combating pests and parasites 

 without chemicals or pesticides. Currently, experiments are underway, but new 

 methods of control are not working. The rising price of petrochemicals that 

 produce many of these pesticides and chemicals may make other means of pest 

 control much more attractive in the future. 



Animal and Human Wastes 



Animal wastes (from feed lots for example) are another major pollution 

 problem confronting farmers. These wastes enter ponds, lakes, and rivers pri- 

 marily through runoff. Rainfall is abundant in Southwest Florida, and runoff 

 from manure is a major concern in some areas. The solution may be that both 

 animal wastes and urban sewage will be used for feed and fertilizers. 



Energy 



Energy is a problem, not because there is an energy crisis, but because 

 of the burden imposed on farmers by the rising cost of production. In South- 

 west Florida, farmers rely on petroleum and petroleum products in all phases 

 of production and marketing. Use of chemicals, pesticides, machinery, trac- 

 tors, and transportation services will expand as farmers are called upon to 

 increase output. Despite the importance of oil and electricity in farm opera- 

 tions, consumption by this sector accounts for only 3% of U.S. energy consump- 

 tion and less than 5% of Florida's energy consumption. In 1978, petroleum 

 made up 75% of all energy used in agriculture. Use of petrol uem for energy on 

 Florida's farms increased 35.7% in 1974-78. The energy expended on produc- 

 tion, food processing, transportation, wholesale and retail trade, and home 

 storage and processing is only about 12% of the total U.S. energy use (Smerdon 

 1975). 



The challenge of the next decade will be for farmers to increase produc- 

 tion as the population increases and to apply even more energy efficient farm- 

 ing methods. Research is underway on solar methods for drying agricultural 



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