Role of retail fertilizer dealers in reducing groundwater contamination: A focus on educational needs

摘要

Retail fertilizer dealers are a critical link in the US agricultural production complex. They are positioned to have major impact on annual fertilizer and pesticide use decisions involving over 44 million tons of fertilizer materials and 470 million pounds of active ingredients of pesticides (USDA, 1989). These inputs are key targets in efforts to reduce agrichemical contamination of groundwater. The purpose of this paper is: to focus on the role of the fertilizer/agrichemical dealer in this effort, to discuss educational needs of the dealer in order to operate his own business in compliance with environmental regulations and, to point out the educational and motivational needs of the dealer in order to assist his farmer-customers to use agrichemicals in ways that will eliminate or reduce groundwater contamination from farming operations.