| As people around the world recognize Earth Day, | | | | waterways. |
| it's also a good time to recognize the vital role the | | | | |
| herbicide atrazine plays in protecting the | | | | • Conserving water: Because |
| environment and promoting responsible land | | | | crop residue from previous harvests (stalks, |
| stewardship. Besides helping to effectively and | | | | husks, etc.) is left on the ground, and the soil is |
| affordably control a broad spectrum of weeds, | | | | not plowed up, evaporation is limited and more |
| atrazine is essential to conservation tillage and | | | | water stays in the soil. |
| no-till systems in agriculture that can reduce soil | | | | |
| erosion by up to 90 percent, when compared to | | | | • Cutting fuel costs to famers: |
| intensive tillage. | | | | Less plowing means lower production costs and |
| | | | | reduced emissions because of fewer equipment |
| When using atrazine products, farmers in the | | | | trips across the field. |
| United States are turning more to conservation | | | | |
| tillage and no-till systems. In 2008, atrazine was | | | | • Reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) |
| applied to more than 60 percent of conservation | | | | emissions: the constant plowing up of agricultural |
| tillage and no-till corn acres. | | | | land required by old-style agriculture to control |
| | | | | weeds results in the massive release of CO2 into |
| Atrazine-enabled no-till agriculture provides huge | | | | the atmosphere from decomposing organic |
| environmental benefits: | | | | matter in the soil. No-till keeps that CO2 trapped |
| | | | | in the ground. Switching to no-till promotes the |
| • Preventing soil erosion: No-till | | | | storage of about 600 pounds of carbon in an acre |
| agriculture dramatically lessens the loss of soil and | | | | of soil each year.2 |
| its nutrients, and prevents the kind of soil run-off | | | | |
| that clogs streams and | | | | Because of its vital role in weed control and |
| waterways.o Preventing erosion | | | | popularity in more than 60 countries around the |
| protects aquatic ecosystems and preserves the | | | | world, atrazine has been carefully studied for |
| quality of our nation's water.o No-till | | | | years. World-renowned institutions including the |
| agriculture reduces soil erosion by as much as 90 | | | | World Health Organization, the National Cancer |
| percent when compared to intensive | | | | Institute and Environmental Protection Agency |
| tillageo United States Department | | | | (EPA) all have studied atrazine and found no health |
| of Agriculture (USDA) ranks sediment runoff as | | | | concerns when used as directed. |
| the number one pollutant in our nation's | | | | |