Trudeau 2030

[jazz]

Crop farming really damages things.

Maybe before your time blaithin but ag had a near death experience in the early 90s and the intensive big all in industry is the direct result of that. Not the way any of us wanted but when survival is on the table.

It the consumer is so env conscious now then they should pay for that service. I don't think I should have to sacrifice my land for riperian areas and still gets 1970s prices.

We still don't even have a proper carbon credit program for ag.

[ajl]

I like neatly farmed well manicured fields and hate stuff left to nature. Looked at 80 acres up for auction this afternoon. Just over half was cleared and had tame mixed hay on it. Usually a bluff of trees hides a slough around here but was wondering why they left the bush in the SE corner. Would be the first item of business to find out why and if no good reason would push it in a heartbeat. Most bush is overgrown weeds around here anyways. Have natural gas so no need for a wood stove. Land clearing still get done around here. No money in bush land and I NEED opportunity. Sprayed 60 acres of 20 year old hay land out 2 years ago and had my best crop on that particular piece of land this year.

[Blaithin]

There’s lots of things that could be implemented to help farmers implement more environmentally sound techniques.

Unfortunately all those things seem to be on the Utopia List of Things That Would Be Great But Never Actually Happen.

Commodity prices, incentive programs, knowledge, carbon credits. It’s too bad most of them are out of farmers control, we can only work within the current limits and try and make a go of it. So there are farmers who make sacrifices in order to support the environment and there are farmers who sacrifice the environment to support their ROI. Neither are wrong, but it would be nice if they weren’t the only real options.

[TASFarms]

Don’t get sucked into the UN agenda. They only want us to go backwards not foreword.

[tweety]

Commodity prices, incentive programs, knowledge, carbon credits. It’s too bad most of them are out of farmers control,

If only there was a way you could tell your commissions these things need focus. Add to that public relations, food-safety messaging, biotech advocacy, and that generally you're not growing food that will kill the public. That sustainability and the environment, working with nature is important (ok so you'll have to lie about that) and renewable energy is important (maybe just lie about that one too).

That maybe going after more yield at all cost should move down the priority list, and whatever else they spend millions on. Your image is crap with the general public, time to fix that and that means now.

[jazz]

That maybe going after more yield at all cost should move down the priority list, and whatever else they spend millions on. Your image is crap with the general public, time to fix that and that means now.

Thats going to be a pretty uphill battle when joe public sees farmers driving combines worth more than his house. They dont seem to care much about their safe food after that.

I am afraid farmers are one step away from being tarred with the big corporation brush.

[Blaithin]

Wait.... how much do combines cost?!

Because housing here is just ****ed.

[farmaholic]

Thats going to be a pretty uphill battle when joe public sees farmers driving combines worth more than his house. They dont seem to care much about their safe food after that.

I am afraid farmers are one step away from being tarred with the big corporation brush.

Joe Public should be happy the house he's living in doesn't depreciate to scrap value in 15-20 years(generous ?).


In fact if regular maintenance is done to their house it should be worth more.

[GDR]

Blaithin, you likely know but the Rough Fescue you talk about is more likely better known by farmers as Prairie Wool.

I do agree that there is very little native land left. I have 90 acres that has never been broke, and never will as long as I'm around. I do use it for pasture but I kinda feel the beauty and diversity is worth something to me. Wild flowers of crocus, woodland lilies, lady slippers and many more endangered plants is pretty cool to have just outside my door. Having said that I also have some very high producing crop land that I would argue also supports nature from earthworms to birds and critters that all call it home. Nature is constantly changing, evolving and adapting. Biggest threat to nature is not farmers because we can work togeather, its urban sprawl that is the biggest problem.

[Hamloc]

If only there was a way you could tell your commissions these things need focus. Add to that public relations, food-safety messaging, biotech advocacy, and that generally you're not growing food that will kill the public. That sustainability and the environment, working with nature is important (ok so you'll have to lie about that) and renewable energy is important (maybe just lie about that one too).

That maybe going after more yield at all cost should move down the priority list, and whatever else they spend millions on. Your image is crap with the general public, time to fix that and that means now.

Tweety here is a good article for you financialpost/opinion/ross-mckitrick-ottawa-clean-fuel-standard-is-overkill-in-your-tank. The big take away in the article for me was that for every $1 of environmental benefit this policy will cost $6!! The question is when does the cost out weigh the benefits?!