Question: High levels of fertilizer and pesticides, needed when farmers try to produce high yields of the same crop year after year, pollute water supplies. Experts therefore urge farmers to diversify their crops and to rotate their plantings yearly.
To receive governmental price-support benefits for a crop, farmers must have produced that same crop for the past several years.
The statement above, if true, best support which of the following conclusions?

(A) The rules for governmental support of farm prices work against efforts to reduce water pollution.
(B) The only solution to the problem of water pollution from fertilizers and pesticides is to take farmland out of production.
(C) Farmers can continue to make a profit by rotating diverse crops, thus reducing costs for chemicals, but not by planting the same crop each year.
(D) New farming techniques will be developed to make it possible for farmers to reduce the application of fertilizers and pesticides.
(E) Governmental price supports for farm products are set at levels that are not high enough to allow farmers to get out of debt.

Correct Answer: A
Explanation:

1. Read and categorize – based on the question, one anticipates having to fill in a logical gap. one should do X instead of Y since Y is harmful for the environment, but I will only pay you money if you do X, which creates a difficult and contradictory scenario.
2. Always think ahead when you can. The first and only thing that occurs to anyone is how completely absurd and incongruous this decision between what is financially sensible and what is ecologically responsible is. One starts making decisions straight away while keeping this in mind.

Option (A)

The rules for governmental support of farm prices work against efforts to reduce water pollution.

- This is precisely what I thought when I first read the sentence. The farmer's motivation to decrease water pollution, if there is any, is undermined by the government cash support. Hence, (A) is the right answer choice.

Option (B)

The only solution to the problem of water pollution from fertilizers and pesticides is to take farmland out of production.

-There is no evidence given to support the conclusion that stopping all agricultural production is the only practical way to stop pesticide and fertilizer-related water contamination. Hence, eliminate (B).

Option (C)

Farmers can continue to make a profit by rotating diverse crops, thus reducing costs for chemicals, but not by planting the same crop each year.

-The question stem doesn't contain any details that would enable us to draw any conclusions about the tactics that would save farmers from losing money. Hence, eliminate (C).

Option (D)

New farming techniques will be developed to make it possible for farmers to reduce the application of fertilizers and pesticides.

-The chapter makes no mention of or prediction regarding the development of new farming methods. This is a conclusion that cannot be drawn in light of the evidence provided. Hence, eliminate (D).

Option (E)

Governmental price supports for farm products are set at levels that are not high enough to allow farmers to get out of debt.

-The paragraph never claimed that farmers were in debt, and receiving government aid says nothing about their financial situation either. As a result, we are unable to draw this conclusion. Hence, eliminate (E).

“High levels of fertilizer and pesticides, needed when farmers try to produce high yields of the same crop year after year, pollute water supplies.” - is a GMAT critical reasoning topic of the GMAT exam. This question has been taken from the book “GMAT Critical Reasoning”. This GMAT critical comes with five options and candidates need to choose the one which is correct. GMAT critical reasoning section is designed to measure the logical and analytical skills of the candidates.

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