Farm fertilizer runoff has been causing toxic algae blooms in Lake Erie. Federal and state agencies are pressuring farmers to reduce the amount of runoff that reaches waterways. Earlier this year the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation warned growers that government agencies may impose regulations on farming practices if its members don't voluntary decrease the runoff. Kirk Merritt, head of the Ohio Soybean Council, says growers want to be part of the solution without regulation.
Ohio State University is leading a three-year study of farming methods to determine best practices to reduce runoff. Early results show some improvement. Grand Lake Saint Mary's in Western Ohio, hard hit by toxic algae blooms in recent years, is showing signs of recovery.