Agriculture

 

Senator Debbie Stabenow: "What I’m hearing now from farmers is, 'yes…the climate crisis is real.

But we need help on what to do about it’."

 

“To…shift…our food choices…goes against…culture…habit, and appetite.”

See the Food page - under Solutions.

"Where and how humans produce food is one of the biggest threats to nature…

 

Let’s look further into each of the above items:

 

 

“Pesticides…and pollution are major…factors in the…decline of…soil organisms.”

Regenerative agriculture can be a much better choice, if possible. Here’s how:

  1. No till - "Minimize soil disturbance: …farmers seed directly into the soil.

  2. Maintain soil cover: farmers leave crop residues after harvesting, or grow cover crops.

  3. Manage crop rotation: farmers change what is grown and where.

“By [replacing]…chemical fertilisers…with high-quality organic fertilisers, half…of agricultural ghg emissions could be prevented while simultaneously building” healthy soil.

“Another major intervention point” would be to promote “pasture grazing.”

These methods “protect [the] soil, avoid emissions…sequester carbon”, and help keep local watersheds clean.

One example: “Agroforestry is a land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastureland.”

 

Regenerative farming may not work for everyone, however:

“When fields aren’t tilled, pesticides are often used to kill weeds.”

Some “farmers who planted…cover crops in a given year, failed to do so in subsequent years.”

Farming isn’t always easy, but anyone can eat vegan.

 

“What we should be scared of is double cheeseburgers.”

“Excessive meat consumption is linked to numerous health issues.”

“Industrial agriculture is associated with…habitat destruction.”

“The [hog and dairy] industries…slammed efforts by politicians to promote ‘Meatless Mondays’.”

To reduce methane pollution, the “dairy industry faces regulation.”

What if a famous celebrity promoted vegetarian eating, and got sued for it?

 

In 1996, Oprah “Winfrey declared that the [beef safety] discussion ‘has…stopped me…from eating another burger’.”

This “contributed to a drop in cattle prices.”

“Cattle industry…executives filed a lawsuit…blaming her for millions in lost business.” Ms. Winfrey won the case.

Beef industry leaders then turned to state legislators. “‘Ag-gag’…bills are designed to [prevent] whistleblowers [from] revealing animal abuses.”

These bills are still being argued over in courts and state capitals.

 

While meat production expands, working conditions remain unhealthy in slaughterhouses, meat packing plants, and in the fields:

“Toiling under difficult heat conditions, [farm] workers…gamble with their health: chronic dehydration can cause kidney damage.”

 

[On] “the ‘kill floors’ of…slaughterhouses…animals are hacked apart under brutal conditions.”

 

Do you need another reason to stop purchasing animal carcasses? Maybe you want to stop the cruelty.

 

“Undercover video…shows workers shocking, kicking and shoving debilitated cattle with forklifts.”

For more on food-related topics, look for Let’s Ask Marion, which covers “The politics of personal dietary choices…community food issues and…global food systems.”

      “The food industry’s primary job is to sell products and return profits to stockholders.”

There’s still time to change the road you’re on.