Opinion: A stupid idea

Published on February 7, 2013; Published on February 7, 2013

Islanders are looking at the lands protection act again. There is a want by the large farms to get even larger and let corporations get more land too. This is what they say they need for viability.

Topics :: Fernwood

Today at my place, snow in my woods and on my barns, house, and fields are all covered in silt from blowing topsoil from the huge fields beside my farm. This happens every winter. This is not viable or sustainable.

The finest particles of topsoil are called colloids. These take a thousand years to develop in nature and are the most important part of the soil structure. Their fineness allows for plant nutrient exchanges to occur in the best way. The colloids are the first particles to be lost in wind and water erosion.

PEI had great land once. Now year over year potato production per acre on PEI is dropping. It is a fact. The thought of giving more land over to such a destructive pattern of agriculture that exists now is stupid.

Ranald MacFarlane,

Farmer at large,

Fernwood, PEI

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