HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-03-18, Page 49S enat�r, author
By David Emslie .
• C.INTON - "Soif degradation is a serious
national problem, it needs national atten-
tion,— said Senator H- rbert . Sparrow.. in
opening.his speech at the Bank of Mon-
treat's First Bank Agricultural Outlook.
The senator, and three bank' represen-
tati#res, -were speakers at this- agricultural
'meetingtat•was-held;at the Clinton Town
Hal on March 5.
While he. noted that most farmers would
feel that the economy is the .most serious
problem -facing the agricultural industry', he.
saithis problem would hopefully last only
'two or three year.. l '
' "Beyond that; the most serious crisis is
soil degradation, our. soils are- at risk. our -
future'is eroding," he said.: - .
1'ihe senator could be termed an expert in
this field as he was on the.senate committee
. tha;t put 'together the soil degradation and
conservation study- %which was published in
the: hook Soil At Risk.
biSoiIs are at risk"
He explained that when this sub commit-
.
tee sits, they. meet with anywhere from 30 to
501 farming groups. When the committee
raised the question of whether there was a
p.rpblem with soil degradation with the farm
groups`, Senator Sparrow said -it was.evident
there was a problem.'
Iii February of 1984 the sub committee got
permission from the Senate to do the study,
and they released it in July of that year.
'What we found was the problem was
much more serious than we realized. We
found it was so serious we couldn't take two
s
Page 7A
eaks to (arrners on erosion
`Soil degradation needs
national attention"
or three years to do the study. We decided to -They started With 18 inches oLtop sod.
work seven days a week to do it. it was that t. they are down to six inches." he said, adding
that it took less than 100 years for this soil to
vanish.
--Very little is being done about it. The
way they're losing topsoil, .they will lose
agriculture in 30 Years..All they're going to
have left are rocks."
Farmers in Quebec are losing a large
amount of their soil due.to runoff. Because
the soil has been well worked. it has become
very powdery, and when the rains conte it is
beim; carried :off into the law lying areas
such as lakes and streams. • -
..A study was done by the federal govern-
nient: on these soils. and if they continue los-
ing theni.at the rate they fare today. they .v ill
-be :;one in 20 years, , said Senator Sparrow.
.Anot`ier .ari;e problem in Quebec is urban
expansion. ()n this subject the senator.ques-
tioned why Mirabel Airport needed 75.000
acri* of land. He answered his own question -
W hen he said they took the land because
they:thuug:rt it was useless.
We cant afford to lease those fauns, we
need those . voices. that production," he
pointed out.
serious," he said.
While, carrying out the study, the commit-
tee found there was a great deal of conser-
vation knowledge within the farming com-
munities, but at the same time there was.a -
great deal of frustration because nothing
«.as being done to save the land. .
The senator stated, "We -found the cost of
production is so. high, and the returns so tow;
that if a farmer wanted to be a conserva-
tionist he couldn't afford to."
Different forms of degradation were
found 'to take place across Canada. These in-
clude erosion by water and wind, soil com-
paction, salinization of soil and soil being
ruined or used up through man's expansion
• into farmlands.
-These forms i of erosion i are taking
place in every community in our nation. I
could talk about one form, but here are so
many forms, we're talking millions of•
acres." said Senator Sparrow.
We owe the future generations a right to
a livelihood in this nation. In all of Canada
only -nine per cent of land is suitable for
growth. Half • of that is suitable for
agricultural growth," he explained.
The first specific area he touched on. was
Atlantic Canada, an area he described as a*
very crucial part Of Canada's agricultural
industry.
See us for aUU types of
Farm buildings
*implement Sheds
*Hog Barns
*Cattle Sheds etc..
'SUPPLYING QUALITY BUILDING MATERIAL
FARMERS IN THIS AREA SINCE 1925
FREE
J.W. HENDERSON LIMITED, LUCKNOW, 52g-3118
HOURS: MON.-FRI. 8-5:30 p.m. SAT. 8 -NOON
NO
OBLIGATION
Oritario suffers from many of the erosion
prohlenis, and the province's problems_ are
exaggerated when it comes to degradation
through urban expansion.
"If you look from the CN Tower on a clear
day you can see 50 per cent of the number
one and number two topsoils." said Senator
-Sparrow. "Urban expansion is eating it -up
at 26 acres an hour. In less than 10 years we
lose over three -million acres to urban
extansion.
I believe Ontario has only • ) to 50 years
of viable agriculture left if they don't care
for the land."
He pointed out that just looking at one's
own community will not help the problem as
the nation's • agriculturaI industry is at
stake. -
Senator Sparrow tried to persuade the
.gathered farmers toi read the report.
Please read the book The methods' of
conservation you do agree with. try to in-
corporate with Your play Talk to y our
neighbors about it. Soil conservation- has to
be a part of it. Any one of these issues can
save topsoil If you can save one ton. it's
worth it.
He added that the farriers alone cannot
shulder the responsibility of making sure
the soil is saved. and the consumer is going
to have to help out through paying higher
prices for goods or higher taxes to the
government so they can help the farmers
ciut.
- These sods belong to future generations.
we must be guardians. The consuming
public has to be spending money or in 30
Turn to page 8A
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