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The Lucknow Sentinel, 1993-03-17, Page 77r Goderich Township farmer considered a pioneer in conservation practices. by Mark Cripps There is no doubt that Don Lobb of RR2 Clinton is not your average farmer. To some, the mere mention of his name offers identifications such as 'a pioneer' or 'an in- novator.' But to compare the accomplish- ments of Lobb with the demeanour of his character, is to find that he is not an attention seeker, nor is he motivated by the power of monetary gain. In fact, Lobb's passion and innovation in the cause' of agriculture is • motivated by a very siinple belief - that the land he works shall be left in as good, or better condition than he found it. Lobb's seemingly simple belief is precipitated from a number of dif- ferent philosophies about the state of the world, Lobb, who has been adopting soil conservation and environmental protection measures since 1966, believes that radical. change in the practices of agricul- ture is looming. ' His farm is a model of his beliefs, and agricul- tural researchers from the Univer- sity of Waterloo and the University of Guelph spend time completing their Masters or Doctorates using Lobb's farm as their focus for study. Lobb's idea's about the future course that agriculture 'must take, might be considered radical by some. They present themselves as - hard realities •of the status of the world and the condition of its fertile land. But in all the facts and ideas, Lobb insists that he does not have a doom and gloom philosophy. "We will be faced with some tremendous changes and I believe it is going to be a very interesting time," said Lobb. "The population of the world and the status of the world's resources are on a collision course. There is an urgency about protecting the soil and we need to convince people of this." Aside from operating a cash crop and seed production operation, Lobb spends a lot of time acting on his beliefs. He is founder of the Huron Soil and Water Conservation District, the Innbvative Farmers of Ontario, and the Great Lakes No - Till Discussion Group. His farm has been the site for more than 50 research projects by university, government and agri-industry specialists. Since 1986, Lobb has also served as a special advisor on federal soil conservation projects as an associate with Ecologistics Ltd. of Waterloo. Lobb is considered an expert in the field of conservation farming practices and has been featured 'or quoted in numerous articles and farm publications, including Canadian Geographic (Oct./Nov. 88). He has also been awarded some very prestigious honors including the Soil Conservation Society of America's Honor Award (1987), Honourary Life Member- ship by the Ontario Institute of Agrologists (1991), and most recently Lobb was inducted into the Canadian Conservation Hall of Fame by Conservation Canada (1992). Lobb was the first farmer frond eastern Canada to receive this award. Overview Lobb has farmed in Huron Coun- ty for 31 years, and during this time, he has continued toupdate his theories on the status of agriculture versus world realities. His over- views of the current situation, of 'where we are in 1993', present interesting conclusions and establish him as a man who is concerned beyond next year's yield numbers. Lobb believes that agricultural support for commodity production must stop (ie. GRIP). His reasoning is that these plans, concerning com- modity claims, are based on which programs provide the most returns when support is considered to be a part of the price. "The production/demand relation- ship is therefore skewed," explains Lobb. "Excessive production results in unnecessarily degraded soil and water. Excessive production produces low real prices which demand more support." Lobb offers that production incen- tives must reflect the reality of current and future population demands: • "They must reflect responsible attitudes based on the facts before us," said Lobb. "Nut on the need for more votes." The facts that Lobb mentions are based on population versus resour- ces. The 'situation', as he calls it, in relation to population is that the numbers of people in the world has increased at an alarming rate. Population Statistically, Lobb sites historical population figures which show at present, the world is doubling its numbers of people at roughly 50 year intervals. By 1980 figures, the world's population was four billion people. Lobb estimates that by the year 2035, this number will double to eight billion people. "The rate of population increase peaked in 1977," said Lobb. "However, current predictions, in spite of AIDS, wars, etcetera, is eight billion by 2035." Resources Lobb . believes the rate of population increase is on a direct collision course with the world's resources. "Through history, until very recently, people populated produc- tive land," said . Lobb. "They produced food until the soil/water resource was. depleted. Then they moved on to a new location." At present, Lobb said that the world's population has brought into production almost all of the land in the world which is suitable for food production. With that considered, Lobb furthers that almost all of that land is in the process of degradation. "Some estimate that an area the size of Prince Edward Island is reduced to desert _ each and every year," said Lobb. "In addition, we currently use nearly all of the easily, accessible fresh water sources,and much of this has been highly degraded on a world-wide level." The situation Lobb ?relieves that the population/resource pressure as it has increased particularly during the past 120 - years has produced •turn to page 22a Farm Progress '93 --Page 21A HYDE BROTHERS FARM EQUIPMENT KINZE LIMITED K'aboti Hensall Store (H) Rannoch Store (R) 519-262-2605 ® S 519-229-6700 Great Plains ( Murray) DUE TO OPULAR DEMAND SALE CONTINUES! Kubota Parts -sharpen Up Now IN -STOCK PARTS PRE -SEA Savings ALL CODEX PARTS Savings and up ma INSPECTION AND ESTIMATES ON COMBINE REPAIRS. Allis, De t Tr- r Parts irol Free Trucking For Tractors Booked For Service. ALL SALES CASH AND, CARRY...ALL SALES FINAL—THESE SAVINGS RUN 'TIL MARCH 31/93 NOWDEN 1NSULATIOH• 528-2279 Free -Agricultural •Industrial Estimates •Residential -Commercial R.R.#1 Lucknow URETHANE FOAM— AND BLOWN BL' OWN CELLULOSE INSULATION teSsir"