It is encouraging to see others follow my lead, with more letters to the editor about industrial agricultural practices, like those currently taking place outside my door on Bristol’s Sixth Line.
In the words of Wendell Berry, “We need many more skilled and careful people in the land-using economies. We can’t expect a good land-based economy from people who wish only to continue a land-destroying economy.”
In their letter, this conscientious citizen delves one level deeper into the subject – a great bone of contention that pierces deep into my own heart. The idea of stifling great opportunities for small regenerative organic farmers when the market for ecologically respectful food is booming, only to ensure business as usual for the short-sighted corporate model and its’ handful of benefactors does not serve our community well in any way.
It is high time to call out decision makers and start taking them to task. The region of Pontiac is positioned to be a dominant player in eco-agriculture and eco-tourism. Why not set our sights high instead of hiding behind outdated policy favouring big polluters that rely “on petrochemicals, mined inputs and excessive fossil energy”. (J.Koberinski, 2019)
What’s needed to get us through the next 5 years of uncertainty, both in the market and the weather, if we are to ensure food security, is small family and community based farms, run by farmers whose record and unquestionable ethics drive their business models and are demonstrated in their practice.
I want to recognize the editor at The Equity for publishing Mr. Wayner’s letter. I look forward to some lively discussion and even livelier action, in the form of tangible agroecological farming systems topping the list of the fastest and most constructive paths out of the mess our society is in today.
Cut paradise to put up a…
http://www.theequity.ca/cut-paradise-to-put-up-a/