Comments on: Want Healthier Soil? Link it to Crop Insurance

By: Michele Wells

Michele Wells — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 12:45:54 +0000

Interesting perspective.

By: EWG News Roundup (5/5): Salty School Lunches, Rocket Fuel in Food, and N.C. Factory Farms – MadePress™

Sat, 06 May 2017 03:40:09 +0000

[…] Civil Eats: Want Healthier Soil? Link it to Crop Insurance […]

By: Elizabeth Grossman

Elizabeth Grossman — Fri, 05 May 2017 19:33:47 +0000

In reply to Doug Jackart. You might want to check with the Meridian Institute – linked to in the story – to see if they are working with any Canadian farmers or farming groups, or know anyone who is. Also check with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition about any programs working with Canadian farmers. The US federal Crop Insurance Program obviously doesn't cross borders but the principles of the data on soil type, soil quality and farming methods should. Hope this helps a bit!

By: Jerry Crew

Jerry Crew — Thu, 04 May 2017 14:20:28 +0000

I agree crop insurance is the key if we want farmers to adopt conservation measures to sustain production. Simply reduce premiums paid by farmers 25 % if they no-till/strip-till and an additional 25 % if they plant cover crops! These 2 practices alone will solve the problem!

A monetary inducement always works! Most farmers have little inherent conservation ethic!

Jerry Crew
Webb, IA

By: Larry Fancher

Larry Fancher — Thu, 04 May 2017 13:51:27 +0000

We are destroying our soil with current farm practices which are perpetuated by government policy.

By: Don Vincent

Don Vincent — Wed, 03 May 2017 23:18:27 +0000

More and more farmers are being talked into using cheap sewer sludge aka biosolids as a form of fertilizer and “soil enhancer” This is going to be a huge future problem. It is so important to remember that sewer sludge aka biosolids is NOT just poop – it is a concentration of all domestic and industrial pollutants that go down drains and sewers. It has some good stuff in it, which plants can use, but a huge load of thousands of other contaminants. Please read what independent scientists have to say on this issue –

Three Informed Views on Sewer Sludge (aka Biosolids)

Dr. Caroline Snyder – “Land-applied municipal sewage sludge (biosolids) is a highly complex and unpredictable mixture of biological and chemical pollutants. Biosolids generated in our large industrialized urban centers is very likely the most pollutant- rich waste mixture of the 21st century.”

Dr. Marilyn Cameron – “We are concerned that farmers are not being provided adequate information about biosolids and the negative impacts that its use could have on your soils, groundwat…er and surface water sources, livestock health, and property values. Farmers will be the ones left paying the price for any damaged land, contaminated water, or human, wildlife and livestock illnesses, etc. Farmers may also suffer losses resulting from lack of consumer confidence in local foods”

Dr. Richard Honour – “”Few in any governments appreciate that nearly all chronic diseases are caused by long-term exposure to low levels of environmental contaminants and pollutants. We should be trying to minimize this exposure, not amplifying it. It is time to end land disposal of Toxic Sewer sludge, and look at cleaner, greener alternatives – gasification / pyrolysis.”
Let’s get on the right side of history, and use this waste resource to make energy. It is time to stop covering Mother Earth with our cities’ toxic sewage.

And see this link for a great overview of the issues – http://bit.ly/2kehQlP by Dr. Thomas Maler

Scientists against land dispersed “biosolids”
Canadian- http://bit.ly/1sb2qOP
UK- http://www.wte-ltd.co.uk/sewage_sludge_biosolids.html
US- http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.est.5b01931

The Green Alternative – The answer is gasification / pyrolysis …not simply dispersing this toxic waste on farms and forests –
see – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7EZjUOywzE
and see – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcq_soCc6dc
and see – http://www.cbc.ca/…/plasma-gasification-alberta…
and see – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUDyKpOyYa4
lets get energy out of this resource AND rid the environment of these toxins.

By: Jim Mikkelsen

Jim Mikkelsen — Wed, 03 May 2017 02:15:06 +0000

How in God’s name does a farmer achieve Sustainability, Efficiency, Soil Health & All the Other Warm Fuzzies… When we have been used as a Guinea Pig since 1993 in the U.S. Military’s quest to “Own the Weather in 2025”? To be more direct “Fake Weather”. After the disaster in 2016 it will take several years to nurse my farms soil back to health…Track ruts from one end of the field to the other!!! My farm lost well over $1M in production, I received under 140k indemnity & the crop insurance company walked away with over $200k profit from my policy! Risk Management? The Farmers & Taxpayers should get their Money Back! What a Scamming, Money Laundering Operation! So, as Always…In the opening comments & discussion of the upcoming Fraud Bill (2018 Farm Bill) we are hearing once again, “We’re going to Strengthen Crop Insurance”! How many Farmers would like to see it Strengthened for Farmers… Not the Insurance Companies this time around?

By: Doug Jackart

Doug Jackart — Tue, 02 May 2017 15:31:30 +0000

Cross border question:

Would any of this information be able to help farmers in Canada, especially in New Brunswick?
I am trying to assist small farmers in the Saint John River area around Fredericton to change farming habits as it pertains to use of toxic chemicals being used currently.
Thank you…Doug