Surreal illustration of ammonia emissions transforming into clean air.

Fighting Ammonia Pollution: How Agriculture Can Clean Up Its Act

Theo Raines in Climate & Environment August 2025 • 3 min read.

"A new meta-analysis reveals effective strategies for reducing ammonia emissions from farms, paving the way for a healthier planet."

Ammonia (NH3) emissions from agricultural activities are a significant environmental problem. This pollution contributes to air quality degradation, soil acidification, water eutrophication, biodiversity loss, and negative impacts on human health. It's a complex challenge that demands innovative solutions and proactive management.

While numerous strategies exist to mitigate ammonia emissions, their effectiveness varies greatly across different agricultural systems, livestock, and crops. Integrated approaches are needed. A comprehensive understanding of the most effective methods is essential to drive meaningful change.

Now, a new meta-analysis offers valuable insights. This research aggregates data from multiple studies to assess strategies for reducing ammonia emissions in both livestock and crop production. By understanding the scale of the problem and the solutions, we can start building a more sustainable agricultural system.

Proven Strategies to Tackle Ammonia Emissions

Surreal illustration of ammonia emissions transforming into clean air.

This research systematically analyzes a range of mitigation strategies. It pinpoints which methods work best for different agricultural contexts. The goal is to provide actionable recommendations. This will enable farmers and policymakers to make informed decisions.

The study highlights effective strategies within livestock production. These includes dietary additives and manure management. In terms of cropping systems, focus is placed on fertilizer choices and application methods.

Livestock Production
Dietary Additives: Incorporating additives into animal feed is shown to reduce ammonia emissions significantly. Specific additives include yucca extracts and compounds that optimize digestion.
Urease Inhibitors (UI): Using urease inhibitors in livestock systems effectively decreases ammonia emission.
Manure Acidification: Acidifying manure leads to substantial reductions in ammonia release.
Deep Manure Placement: This method has demonstrated exceptional results in minimizing emissions.
Cropping Systems
Fertilizer Source: The type of fertilizer used has a big impact on ammonia emissions.
Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers: These fertilizers are designed to reduce nutrient loss and lower emissions.
Field Application Method: How fertilizer is applied affects the amount of ammonia released into the environment.

These finding provide valuable guidance for farmers and agricultural stakeholders. By implementing these strategies, the agricultural sector can significantly reduce its environmental footprint.

Looking Ahead: A Call to Action for Sustainable Farming

By adopting these proven strategies, agriculture can minimize its impact on the environment and ensure a healthier future for all. The journey toward sustainability requires commitment and collaboration, but the rewards are well worth the effort. As consumers, we can support sustainable farming practices by choosing products from environmentally conscious producers, further driving the adoption of these essential mitigation strategies.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.10.124, Alternate LINK

Title: Potential For Mitigating Global Agricultural Ammonia Emission: A Meta-Analysis

Subject: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Journal: Environmental Pollution

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Authors: Chaopu Ti, Longlong Xia, Scott X. Chang, Xiaoyuan Yan

Published: 2019-02-01

Everything You Need To Know

What are the primary environmental problems caused by Ammonia (NH3) emissions from agriculture?

Ammonia (NH3) emissions from agriculture contribute significantly to several environmental issues. These include air quality degradation, which can lead to respiratory problems and other health issues. Soil acidification, where the soil becomes more acidic, harming plant growth and soil health. Water eutrophication, the excessive enrichment of water bodies with nutrients, leading to algal blooms and oxygen depletion, harming aquatic life. Biodiversity loss, as the changes in the environment negatively impact various species. Also, ammonia emissions have negative impacts on human health directly, causing respiratory problems and indirectly through their contribution to the formation of particulate matter.

How can Dietary Additives help reduce Ammonia emissions in livestock production and what are some examples?

Dietary Additives are incorporated into animal feed to reduce Ammonia emissions. Specific additives, such as yucca extracts and compounds that optimize digestion, work by improving the animal's ability to utilize nutrients. This reduces the amount of nitrogen excreted in manure, which is the primary source of ammonia. By modifying the animal's diet, less nitrogen is converted into ammonia, thus lowering emissions. Using Dietary Additives is a proactive measure to mitigate the environmental impact of livestock farming.

What are the key strategies for reducing Ammonia emissions in cropping systems, and how do they work?

In cropping systems, several strategies are crucial for reducing Ammonia emissions. The Fertilizer Source, the type of fertilizer used, significantly impacts ammonia release. Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers are designed to reduce nutrient loss and lower emissions compared to traditional fertilizers. The Field Application Method also affects emissions; for instance, methods that incorporate fertilizer into the soil, rather than leaving it on the surface, minimize ammonia volatilization. By carefully selecting and applying fertilizers, farmers can significantly reduce ammonia pollution from their fields.

What is the role of Manure Acidification and Deep Manure Placement in reducing Ammonia emissions, and why are they effective?

Manure Acidification and Deep Manure Placement are effective strategies in livestock production. Manure Acidification involves lowering the pH of manure, which reduces the conversion of ammonium to ammonia gas, thereby decreasing emissions. Deep Manure Placement involves injecting manure directly into the soil, minimizing its exposure to air and, consequently, ammonia volatilization. These methods are effective because they target the source of ammonia production, preventing its release into the atmosphere. Both are highlighted as effective methods in the research.

Besides the methods mentioned, what other actions can be taken to promote sustainable farming practices and reduce Ammonia emissions in agriculture?

Besides the methods such as Dietary Additives, Urease Inhibitors (UI), Manure Acidification, and Deep Manure Placement, the journey toward sustainability requires commitment and collaboration. Choosing products from environmentally conscious producers is a key action consumers can take. Policymakers can play a crucial role by creating and enforcing regulations that promote sustainable practices. Farmers can implement the strategies for both livestock and cropping systems. Overall, the adoption of proven strategies will minimize agriculture's environmental impact and ensure a healthier future.