Water pollution from agriculture damages economic growth and the health of billions of people across the planet. Agricultural production is highly dependent on water and is the largest using sector and a major polluter of water resources. Water pollution regulations can be implemented or redesigned to incentivize sustainable agriculture and benefit the environment. However, in 2023, only 39 percent of countries had some form of water pollution regulation. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency provides information on how farmers can address the challenge of polluted runoff through the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI), the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Farm Bill, and other approaches. In Europe, pollution from pesticides and fertilizers used in agriculture remains a major cause of poor water quality. Management measures for reducing the risk of water pollution due to organic and inorganic fertilizers and pesticides include limiting and optimizing the type, amount, and timing of applications to crops. 

Water pollution from agriculture damages economic growth and the health of billions of people across the planet. Agricultural production is highly dependent on water and is the largest using sector and a major polluter of water resources. Water pollution regulations can be implemented or redesigned to incentivize sustainable agriculture and benefit the environment. However, in 2023, only 39 percent of countries had some form of water pollution regulation. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency provides information on how farmers can address the challenge of polluted runoff through the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI), the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Farm Bill, and other approaches. In Europe, pollution from pesticides and fertilizers used in agriculture remains a major cause of poor water quality. Management measures for reducing the risk of water pollution due to organic and inorganic fertilizers and pesticides include limiting and optimizing the type, amount, and timing of applications to crops.