Re: corporate farming consequences

[Peggy Adams <adams@pcei.org>]

>You wrote:
>>"Using one word for agriculture is a little like using one word for
>>transportation.  There is as big a difference between small scale farms and
>>corporate agribusiness as there is between bicyclists and the auto
>>industry."
>
>O.K., I might buy into that. However, it's the environmental regulator
>(Washington DOE) that has lumped all agriculture together in the Non-Point
>Source Plan.  And, almost all agriculture in the immediate area grows three
>crops exclusively.  This is more due to the subsidy structure than anything
>else.  So, one government program in charge of cleaning up the consequences
>of another.

Agreed.  Not the best solution to the problem, is it?  To whose advantage
is it to do it this way?  Follow the money.


>So, the family farmer hasn't figured this out?  I've seen nothing but great
>gusto from our local farmers when they proclaim "it's us against them."  I
>think our viewpoints are pretty much the same, but you're assuming the same
>good-guy-bad-guy world view that a lot of farmers have.  It would help the
>credibility of farmers if they wouldn't take such joy in proclaiming their
>sacred place in the pantheon of american icons.  Imagine if I had the same
>attitude as a government worker.


Unfortunately, and surpizingly, most of the family farmers don't have this
issue figured out.  The chemical company reps and the buyers have provided
most of the services they need and have developed long-standing
relationships with them.  When the dealers tell the farmers, in
conversation around the tractor, that the environmentalists are the reason
they're being pushed out of business they believe it.  When the occasional
farmer comes to me to ask the environmental community to back off it
usually takes several conversations before they realize how limited their
choices are in who they buy from and who they sell to and how that impacts
their ability to stay on the farm.

Unlike government workers, farming is a lifestyle, not a job.  There is a
level of responsiblity and enjoyment in farming that few people get with
their jobs.  It's more like being a professional sailor than it like being
a worker in an office.  Also, unlike government workers, one of the
founding fathers, Jefferson, gave them a sacred place in American society
and in each successive war that attitude toward farmers has been reinforced
(the best fed army wins the war).  After WWII, with the rise of large scale
monoculture and a 2,000% increase in the use of chemicals, farmers
forfeited their right to their valued place as stewards of our land.  It's
only been in this generation that the farmer has begun to lose their
honored place in America so it's no wonder that they are defensive.

>Prove it.  Most farmers in Whitman County don't even contour their tillage
>and plant fence-post to fence-post without any buffers in their drainages.
>Where's the proof of this small farm stewardship locally?

PCEI and Groundworks have been doing alot of work with local farmers to
change those practices.  In that capacity I have seen changes.  No-till is
becoming a much more popular method and, as farmers see that it doesn't
negatively impact their bottom line, there are more adopters.  The chemical
companies are jumping on board the no-till bandwagon because in has
potential to increase the use of herbicides so you can expect to see the
concept spread quickly.  If EPA can enforce its regulations there's a
chance those chemicals won't end up in the water supply.

Don't want to name names but there are quite a few farmers out there doing
much better, partially due to threats from the EPA, partially due to low
wheat prices which encourage experimentation with other crops.  If you
drive out Foothill Road just north of Moscow you will see a project where a
farmer has given over nearly a mile of land for environmental protection.
We re-channeled Paradise Creek to put new meanders in, planted with native
grasses and trees along the banks.  It doesn't look like much now but next
Spring when the grass is up and an additional several thousand trees and
shrubs are planted it will be an impressive example of a farmer "doing the
right thing."

P
>______________________________________________________
>Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com


Peggy Adams

===================================================================
Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute
P O Box 8596; 112 West 4th St; Suite #1
Moscow ID 83843-1096
Phone (208)882-1444; Fax (208)882-8029
url:  http://www.moscow.com/pcei

Please Note our individual staff email addresses below:

Thomas C. Lamar, Executive Director: lamar@pcei.org
Peggy Adams, Watersheds/Food Systems: adams@pcei.org
Jon Barrett, Idaho Smart Growth:  smartgro@micron.net
Elaine Clegg, Idaho Smart Growth:  eclegg@micron.net
Anita Grover, Watersheds: grover@pcei.org
Laurie Guardes, Financial Manager:  gardes@pcei.org
Kimi Lucas, Office Manager:  lucas@pcei.org
Ashley Martens, Environmental Education:  martens@pcei.org

Celebrating thirteen years of connecting people, place and community.
===================================================================