To add some additional point to yours on animal waste, "barnyard run-off" into our water supplies has led to rapid degradation of our lakes, rivers, oceans, and

To add some additional point to yours on animal waste, "barnyard run-off" into our water supplies has led to rapid degradation of our lakes, rivers, oceans, and ground water. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and pathogens are the most common water pollutants from manure. Nitrates that leave Minnesota through the Mississippi River add to the Gulf of Mexico dead zone. Added nitrates cause an excess of ocean plants and algae to grow. When the plants and algae die, they are decomposed by bacteria that use up dissolved oxygen. This causes areas of low oxygen to form where ocean plants and animals cannot live. Phosphorus is a major concern because it causes excessive plant and algae growth in lakes and rivers. This causes an oxygen-depleting reaction similar to what happens in the Gulf of Mexico dead zone. E. coli, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia are just a few pathogens that can cause serious health problems in people and animals that come in contact with contaminated water.