Increase in Corn Production Killing the Gulf - 12/19/07

Cathy Pruitt
Beyond Fossil Fuel Columnist

Due to the demand for ethanol fuel the American farmers are growing record amounts of corn and the Gulf of Mexico suffering because of it. The American farmer used millions of ponds of nitrogen based fertilizer this year to grow corn. The run off of the nitrogen makes its way to the Mississippi River before ending up in the Gulf.

A growing dead zone about 7,900 square miles in size is depleting oxygen to the sea life. Originally discovered in 1985 this growing dead zone is forcing fisherman to move farther out to fish. It is thought this dead zone is caused by nitrogen run off.

The increase production of corn is feared to cause an expansion in the dead zone possibly collapsing the ecosystem in the Gulf. Environmentalists are encouraging farmers to use less fertilizer. The price for corn has doubled in the last few years making is a cash crop for the American farmer making is one of the most profitable crop to grow, but it takes nitrogen based fertilizer to make it profitable.

Fertilizer causes an explosive growth of algae in the Gulf which dies and sinks to the bottom where bottom dwelling sea life like crabs and oysters live. Fish can simply swim away but bottom dwellers cannot. Many fisherman depend on their livelihood on the fish, shrimp and crabs in the Gulf.

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