IN MUCH the same way those in the farm business consider every week to be agriculture week, so must farmers feel about Earth Day, celebrated last week on April 22.
Farmers, the people who accept the responsibility of land and livestock stewardship and use it to feed themselves and to help feed others, are among the many who care about the earth.
For farmers, every day is Earth Day.
That notion is not obvious if judged by most of the day’s promotional material. It suggested Earth Day was mainly an urban phenomenon during which people were encouraged to plant trees, recycle garbage and reduce waste and pollution – all excellent pursuits that farmers can embrace as well as city folk.
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Promotions also talked of using Blue Box programs for recyclable materials, taking the bus instead of the car and reducing sprinkler use on the lawn. This is where the town and country gap widens.
With desire to help people lessen their impact on Earth, the Humane Society of Canada compiled for Earth Day a 20-item list of things they could do to help preserve the planet.
Among them were suggestions to “stop using pesticides, herbicides, rodenticides and other harmful, unnecessary chemicals.” And, “remove meat from your diet for the day.”
The humane society’s work to protect animals is important, but a few of its suggestions to encourage a greener lifestyle have agricultural implications that appear critical of current practice.
It is disheartening that today’s farmers are often portrayed as environmental offenders, when in fact they make major contributions to its protection.
Soil management practices such as minimum or zero tillage are gaining ground each year. This type of farming reduces erosion and protects the soil and its organisms.
Modern agricultural practices, including such tools as crop rotation, fertilizer and yes, agricultural chemicals, have given farmers the ability to increase productivity and produce more food using less land. In much the same way, large-scale food animal production minimizes land use, though admittedly there are constant challenges involving water use and waste disposal.
As modern farming and livestock practices ensure that more food can be produced from fewer acres, more land is available for other purposes.
As for tree planting, the use of farm shelterbelts has been common for decades. They prevent erosion from wind and water and provide wildlife habitat on many farms.
Further to habitat, many farmers take special measures to attract and preserve wildlife on their property. There are occasions when this preservation represents a cost to farmers, yet as a group they are far more inclined to protect wildlife and nature than to ignore it.
Prairie farmers protect the environment in many ways and they deserve recognition for it. For them, every day is indeed Earth Day.