The Rural Voice, 2000-10, Page 38FIGHTING BACK
Pat Tigges says there is pollution all right — 'toxic
information'. Modern production agriculture
is needed to feed the world, she says.
By Janice Becker
or those in
agriculture or
involved in groups
focused on protecting the
environment, the approach
of Pat Tigges, a guest
speaker at a beef update
meeting held at Brussels,
August 29, to Fighting the
Green War was somewhat
surprising.
Billed as a fact -based
proactive environ-
mentalist, Tigges, from
Washington State, did not
reiterate the standard
enviro-crisis talk. Instead
she refuted many of the
widely -held beliefs about
agriculture poisoning the
environment.
Though an activist, she
says she is pro -
environment, pro -
agriculture, pro -people
and pro -technology.
Tigges admitted we do
have pollution, but it's in
the form of "toxic
information".
"Ten -second sound
bytes are substituted for
knowledge. All that bad
news is wrong. The U.S.
and Canadian environ-
ment has been getting
better for the past 40
years. Things are better,
forest growth is exploding
and the animal
populations are increasing.
Every measure of the
environment has been
getting better."
Tigges discussed at length
34 THE RURAL VOICE
Modern varieties, crop inputs
can feed the world's
increasing population, Tigges
says.
why North Americans
have so many envir-
onmental concerns.
She said affluence
creates the time to worry
about other things rather
than where the next meal
will come from.
Environmental
activism has also become
a business for the
organizations which speak
out on issues, politicians
who respond, as well as
the media which hypes the
incidents.
If there is no crisis,
,there is no work and no
paycheque for all those in
the business of
environmental awareness,
she said. Environmen-
talists have been replaced
by zealots, lawyers and
politicians.
"It is about money,
political and social
change, not environmental
protection."
Quoting from another
source, Tigges said,
"There is not a problem
until a government agency
has been created to solve
it."
Tigges stated that there
are 70,000 American
companies employing
over 1,000,000 paid
workers who deal with
environmental matters.
"They have $150 billion
in income."
She also questioned the
research being done,
stating most is politically
motivated.
"They can't say there is
no problem if they expect
to get more money for
research."
In terms of
agriculturalists, Tigges
said they are "getting
hammered" by politicians.
"We don't have
overproduction, but under -
distribution. We have to
get that message to the
urban public."
Tigges pointed out how
the improved technology
has allowed North
American farmers to
produce high yields on
relatively small amounts
of land and chemical
additives have helped
maintain the soil's