Shaping the USDA Agriculture Innovation Agenda: Addressing Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution from A Point Source Perspective

Agrochemicals are crucial for modern agriculture, but improper use can cause nonpoint source pollution (NPS), harming water quality and health. Despite recognizing agriculture as a major NPS contributor, policies lag in addressing it. Current literature identifies three main approaches to mitigate NPS: voluntary programs, economic incentives, and command and control regulations, but lacks empirical studies. This paper introduces a production efficiency model inspired by the input-based Best Management Practices (BMPs) to tackle agrochemical overuse without affecting yields. It aims to address NPS by providing empirical estimates to guide evidence-based sustainable farming policies.