Corn drapes every curve and rise here in Winona County, Minnesota – seemingly endless fields of grain that contribute to the food, fuel and finances of a robust U.S. agricultural economy.
But the bucolic landscape belies a dark and dangerous truth: Much of the groundwater in the porous limestone beneath Winona County is contaminated with some of the nation’s highest levels of nitrates – harmful pollutants released into the environment by the use of nitrogen chemicals and livestock manure as fertilizer on farmland.
Close to 200 wells in the county have been contaminated with nitrates at levels higher than what federal officials consider safe, according to state officials. It’s frightening data for area residents because nitrates are linked to a range of health problems, including heart and lung problems and certain cancers. Nitrates are known to be particularly dangerous for babies.
Source: investigatemidwest.org
Photo Credit: istock-blackjack3d
Categories: Minnesota, Business, Crops, Corn