Changes ahead

[Bigcountry40]

It was all the fencerows and pasture fields being removed for more farmland. I think the Blizzard more wiped out the quail than anything

I come a farm family and farming is close to my heart, but farmers do not give a crap about the environment or nature as long as they are making money. Farmers in nw ohio will cut down every fencerow/tree, to get 2 more rows of corn. I have to deal with 20 foot snow drifts on roads on my way to work every heavy snow because farmers must cut down all natural foliage.

 

[Redhunter1012]

I come a farm family and farming is close to my heart, but farmers do not give a crap about the environment or nature as long as they are making money. Farmers in nw ohio will cut down every fencerow/tree, to get 2 more rows of corn. I have to deal with 20 foot snow drifts on roads on my way to work every heavy snow because farmers must cut down all natural foliage.

Tell me about it. I work in the Grain Business. All of our fencerows are nearly disappeared around here the last 6-7 years. I hear every excuse known to man how the algae blooms don't have anything to do with their farming practices. But they are all trying to get into this new incentive program where the Government is paying them About $180 an acre to plant alfalfa and they get to sell off the alfalfa. This is to try and eliminate the runoff supposedly. Don't get me wrong, 90% of them are great guys, but im not sure how many of them give a rats ass about the overall impact all the chemical runoff has.

 

[GoetsTalon]

Agree 100% The ditch i shot my first pheasant out of looks like it should be running through a golf course now. Zero cover.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I'm reading a book right now that makes me think pretty poorly of big ag. I already had a negative image based on the OFB and their lobbying of the DNR. Now that I have some insight on big ag and the impacts it is having on the environment, it has pushed me to pull my $ out of big ag and put it towards local, organic farming. At least to the best of my abilities given seasons and availability.

 

[Gern186]

I come a farm family and farming is close to my heart, but farmers do not give a crap about the environment or nature as long as they are making money. Farmers in nw ohio will cut down every fencerow/tree, to get 2 more rows of corn. I have to deal with 20 foot snow drifts on roads on my way to work every heavy snow because farmers must cut down all natural foliage.

Same thing here...they are even buzzing the edges of all the woods so they don't scratch the paint on the tractors and combines...cut every fencerow down, every single standing tree in the middle of a section, all brush along ditches...just to gain a row or 2.

 

[Redhunter1012]

Same thing here...they are even buzzing the edges of all the woods so they don't scratch the paint on the tractors and combines...cut every fencerow down, every single standing tree in the middle of a section, all brush along ditches...just to gain a row or 2.

Another thing that chaps my ass is seeing a 20 yard wide section of CRP grass going along a half mile of road with a sign saying its for wildlife. What possible cover is that providing any creatures other than mice being right along a busty stretch of state highway? They are getting paid not to have to plant crops right next to the road. There should be some stipulation that the CRP has to be far enough from the road that the beer cans, McDonalds bags, and empty cigarette packs cant reach them from a passing car window

 

[MK111]

All the grass strips I seen were planted in low spot runoffs to stop runoff water damage. At least down as everything is down hill.
I did see couple fence row clearings on the way to Lima this month. But I always thought is was because a farmer bought the new farm and wanted bigger fields cleared so they can use their over sized farm equipment.

Another thing that chaps my ass is seeing a 20 yard wide section of CRP grass going along a half mile of road with a sign saying its for wildlife. What possible cover is that providing any creatures other than mice being right along a busty stretch of state highway? They are getting paid not to have to plant crops right next to the road. There should be some stipulation that the CRP has to be far enough from the road that the beer cans, McDonalds bags, and empty cigarette packs cant reach them from a passing car window

 

[Redhunter1012]

All the grass strips I seen were planted in low spot runoffs to stop runoff water damage. At least down as everything is down hill.
I did see couple fence row clearings on the way to Lima this month. But I always thought is was because a farmer bought the new farm and wanted bigger fields cleared so they can use their over sized farm equipment.

The ones I refer to are along SR 235 where it meets SR 12, about 4 miles north of my house. Plus, all over the place in Wood county. In Wood county, they get paid for the buffer strips, which are I think 10 yard wide sections on each sides of the ditches that run everywhere in that county. But alot the ditches that run parallel to the road have these buffer strips along them too, I just don't get it. The ditches that run through fields that have them on both sides are used as lanes for grain trucks and equipment year round, so they provide nothing in the way of cover and habitat, if they even grow

 

[reo]

Tell me about it. I work in the Grain Business. All of our fencerows are nearly disappeared around here the last 6-7 years. I hear every excuse known to man how the algae blooms don't have anything to do with their farming practices. But they are all trying to get into this new incentive program where the Government is paying them About $180 an acre to plant alfalfa and they get to sell off the alfalfa. This is to try and eliminate the runoff supposedly. Don't get me wrong, 90% of them are great guys, but im not sure how many of them give a rats ass about the overall impact all the chemical runoff has.

And miles and miles of new drain tile put in every year to get that runoff of the fields and into the waterways ASAP!

 

[Milo]

The issue is phosphorus, and some nitrogen but its mainly phosphorus. The damage is mainly done and will have effects for quite a while. They are trying to find a way to unlock the phosphorus that is now in the bottom of Lake Erie and gets stirred up by rough fish and waves. They need to find an additive the react with it, make it change physical state and remove it or cause it to lock chemically so it can't react and be used. Tough challenge.

 

[Jackalope]

The issue is phosphorus, and some nitrogen but its mainly phosphorus. The damage is mainly done and will have effects for quite a while. They are trying to find a way to unlock the phosphorus that is now in the bottom of Lake Erie and gets stirred up by rough fish and waves. They need to find an additive the react with it, make it change physical state and remove it or cause it to lock chemically so it can't react and be used. Tough challenge.

It's nitrogen too. I was reading a report the other day that said lots of nitrogen runoff happens in the winter when there aren't crops on the fields. And if farmers would plant some sort of winter cover it would reduce nitrogen levels in the waterways by 60%.

The reality is something needs to be done to reign these farmers in. They should also be held accountable for their impacts. Like the issues with removing fence rows. Last weekend there was a pileup on 70 at mile marker 82 that included 25 cars and 6 semi trucks and caused 1 fatality and multiple critical injuries. The main culprit was lost visibility because of blowing snow. About 3 years ago the farmer there removed the fence row along the highway and the one across the field opening it up for a couple miles. It's my opinion that the farmer should be held directly responsible for that accident. The farmer did X and caused Y. If you did the same you would be held liable. Homeowners have been held liable for accidents because their bushes weren't trimmed and I blocked the view of crossing traffic. Or a tree grew too tall and blocked the view of a stop sign. Makes me so mad I want to send him a letter to make sure he knows that his greed for an extra two rows of corn killed someone and maimed multiple people.

Some states require fencerows per X distance and they grid square everything. The state even went through and planted thousands of miles of rows to stop wind and runoff.

 

[Milo]

the algae blooms from the phosphorus, not the nitrogen. Both pollutants of course but the one hitting the hardest is phosphorus. tests have determined that there is around a 100 year supply of phosphorus in the soil as it sits today yet they keep dumping it on the ground. thats why we are in this mess

 

[bthompson1004]

Eutrophication

 

[Cogz]

Your right, early 90's

You’re*
(Actively trolling)