AFBF - American Farm Bureau Federation

06/16/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 06/16/2026 15:16

Agriculture Community Makes Progress Toward Hypoxia Goals

Courtney Briggs

Senior Director, Government Affairs

Chad Smith

Associate News Service Editor, NAFB

Farmers and ranchers have made good progress to reduce runoff into the Mississippi River basin. Chad Smith has the details.

Smith: States along the Mississippi River basin have surpassed a key federal target for reducing nitrogen flowing into the Gulf of Mexico, according to the Environmental Protection Agency's Hypoxia Task Force. Courtney Briggs, the senior director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the task force is a collaborative effort.
Briggs: The Hypoxia Task Force is a partnership of federal agencies, 12 of the Mississippi River Basin states, and tribal representatives, and they are all working to reduce nutrients to reduce the size of the Gulf's Hypoxic Zone.
Smith: The Task Force set a goal of reducing nitrogen and phosphorous runoff throughout the Mississippi River watershed, and the nitrogen goal is ahead of schedule.
Briggs: So, this recent report indicates that we've surpassed our goals on nitrogen reduction, but there is still considerable work that still needs to be done on phosphorus. It's worth noting that the goal on nitrogen would have never been met without the work of the agricultural community.
Smith: Briggs said working toward the phosphorous goal will require additional information.
Briggs: We need to have a better understanding and accounting of all sources of phosphorus, such as non-point, non-agricultural sources like stream bank erosion. All of those loads are currently being attributed to agriculture. We need to work together to better understand natural sources and legacy nutrients.
Smith: Chad Smith, Washington.
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