IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jagris/v15y2025i6p606-d1610280.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Why Does Overapplication of Phosphorus Fertilizers Occur: Insights from North Carolina Farmers

Author

Listed:
  • Lily K. Kile

    (Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University, 101 Derieux Pl, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA)

  • Luke Gatiboni

    (Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University, 101 Derieux Pl, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA)

  • Deanna L. Osmond

    (Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University, 101 Derieux Pl, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA)

  • Anna-Maria Marshall

    (Department of Sociology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 3090 Lincoln Hall, Urbana, IL 61801, USA)

  • Amy Johnson

    (Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University, 101 Derieux Pl, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA)

  • Owen W. Duckworth

    (Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University, 101 Derieux Pl, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA)

Abstract

To minimize environmental damage, conserve global diminishing fertilizer reserves, all while maximizing food production, it is essential that farmers apply phosphate fertilizers at the optimal rate. The purpose of this study is to assess grower attitudes and behavior, with respect to proper application of phosphorus, and to investigate how certain exogenous factors might influence such applications. Data were analyzed from a survey conducted in North Carolina, USA, with 122 farmer participants. The findings reveal that annual phosphorus applications consistently exceed recommendations, which indicates overapplication, leading to economic inefficiency and environmental concerns. Overapplication is neither due to knowledge gaps in nutrient concentrations in the soil nor the lack of interest in soil sampling, as 99% of farmers submit soil tests as frequently or more frequently than every two years. Only 36% of growers indicated that they would not apply phosphorus if their soil report indicated that levels were sufficient, and that none was required. Additionally, overapplication is not strongly influenced by price effects, as only nine percent of growers abandoned applications in 2021, following a dramatic spike doubling fertilizer prices. The adoption of reduced phosphate fertilization will depend on strong local trusted technical assistance and continued extension education.

Suggested Citation

  • Lily K. Kile & Luke Gatiboni & Deanna L. Osmond & Anna-Maria Marshall & Amy Johnson & Owen W. Duckworth, 2025. "Why Does Overapplication of Phosphorus Fertilizers Occur: Insights from North Carolina Farmers," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-13, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:15:y:2025:i:6:p:606-:d:1610280
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/6/606/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/6/606/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Glenn Sheriff, 2005. "Efficient Waste? Why Farmers Over-Apply Nutrients and the Implications for Policy Design," Review of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 27(4), pages 542-557.
    2. Fukase, Emiko & Martin, Will, 2020. "Economic growth, convergence, and world food demand and supply," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    3. Stuart, D. & Denny, R.C.H. & Houser, M. & Reimer, A.P. & Marquart-Pyatt, S., 2018. "Farmer selection of sources of information for nitrogen management in the US Midwest: Implications for environmental programs," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 289-297.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Matthew Houser, 2022. "Does adopting a nitrogen best management practice reduce nitrogen fertilizer rates?," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(1), pages 79-94, March.
    2. Matthew Houser & Ryan Gunderson & Diana Stuart & Riva C. H. Denny, 2020. "How farmers “repair” the industrial agricultural system," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 37(4), pages 983-997, December.
    3. Chad Lawley & Erik Lichtenberg & Doug Parker, 2009. "Biases in Nutrient Management Planning," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 85(1), pages 186-200.
    4. Hongxing Liu & Wendong Zhang & Elena Irwin & Jeffrey Kast & Noel Aloysius & Jay Martin & Margaret Kalcic, 2020. "Best Management Practices and Nutrient Reduction: An Integrated Economic-Hydrologic Model of the Western Lake Erie Basin," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 96(4), pages 510-530.
    5. Rami Rawashdeh, 2023. "Estimating short-run (SR) and long-run (LR) demand elasticities of phosphate," Mineral Economics, Springer;Raw Materials Group (RMG);Luleå University of Technology, vol. 36(2), pages 239-253, June.
    6. Tatyana Deryugina & Barrett Kirwan, 2018. "Does The Samaritan'S Dilemma Matter? Evidence From U.S. Agriculture," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 56(2), pages 983-1006, April.
    7. Kristina Beethem & Sandra T. Marquart-Pyatt & Jennifer Lai & Tian Guo, 2023. "Navigating the information landscape: public and private information source access by midwest farmers," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 40(3), pages 1117-1135, September.
    8. Mahadevan, Renuka, 2008. "The high price of sweetness: The twin challenges of efficiency and soil erosion in Fiji's sugar industry," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(2-3), pages 468-477, June.
    9. Sneeringer, Stacy, 2016. "Comparing Participation in Nutrient Trading by Livestock Operations to Crop Producers in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed," Economic Research Report 249772, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    10. Yiridoe, Emmanuel K. & Amon-Armah, Frederick & Hebb, Dale & Jamieson, Rob, 2013. "Eco-efficiency of Alternative Cropping Systems Managed in an Agricultural Watershed," 2013 Annual Meeting, August 4-6, 2013, Washington, D.C. 150357, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    11. Amy W. Ando & Shibashis Mukherjee, 2012. "Benefits of pollution monitoring technology for greenhouse gas offset markets," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 32(1), pages 122-136.
    12. Tingting Liu & Randall J. F. Bruins & Matthew T. Heberling, 2018. "Factors Influencing Farmers’ Adoption of Best Management Practices: A Review and Synthesis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-26, February.
    13. Sana Khushi & Sajid Rashid Ahmad & Ather Ashraf & Muhammad Imran, 2020. "Spatially analyzing food consumption inequalities using GIS with disaggregated data from Punjab, Pakistan," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(6), pages 1283-1298, December.
    14. Raquel P. F. Guiné & Sofia G. Florença & Ofélia Anjos & Nada M. Boustani & Cristina Chuck-Hernández & Marijana Matek Sarić & Manuela Ferreira & Cristina A. Costa & Elena Bartkiene & Ana P. Cardoso & M, 2022. "Are Consumers Aware of Sustainability Aspects Related to Edible Insects? Results from a Study Involving 14 Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-18, October.
    15. Berman, Nicolas & Couttenier, Mathieu & Leblois, Antoine & Soubeyran, Raphael, 2023. "Crop prices and deforestation in the tropics," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    16. Lijing Gao & J. Arbuckle, 2022. "Examining farmers’ adoption of nutrient management best management practices: a social cognitive framework," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(2), pages 535-553, June.
    17. Zhang, Wendong & Wilson, Robyn S. & Burnett, Elizabeth & Irwin, Elena G. & Martin, Jay F., 2016. "What motivates farmers to apply phosphorus at the “right” time? Survey evidence from the Western Lake Erie Basin," ISU General Staff Papers 201608040700001588, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    18. Musser, Wesley N. & Lambert, Dayton M. & Daberkow, Stan G., 2006. "Factors Affecting Direct and Indirect Energy Use in U.S. Corn Production," 2006 Annual meeting, July 23-26, Long Beach, CA 21063, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    19. Theodoros Skevas & Spiro E. Stefanou & Alfons Oude Lansink, 2013. "Do Farmers Internalise Environmental Spillovers of Pesticides in Production?," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 64(3), pages 624-640, September.
    20. Brian Lee & Jhih‐Yun Liu & Hung‐Hao Chang, 2020. "The choice of marketing channel and farm profitability: Empirical evidence from small farmers," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(3), pages 402-421, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:15:y:2025:i:6:p:606-:d:1610280. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.