To: The United States House of Representatives
Limit farm subsidies to farmers who pollute.
The Department of Agriculture should be required to grade the soil conservation practices of all farmers requesting over $25,000.00 in agricultural subsidies as good, fair or poor. Those graded as fair should receive no more than 50% of the requested subsidies, and those graded as poor should not receive any agricultural subsidy. However, farmers who use good soil conservation should be eligible for an additional subsidy if they add substantial amounts of bio-char to their soil, because the use of bio-char increases yields while reducing the need for fertilizer and sequesters carbon for lengthy periods
Why is this important?
A large number of Farmers do not follow good soil conservation practices. Instead, they try to maximize profits by planting from boundary to boundary. The result is often soil erosion and fertilizer run-off that pollutes our rivers. Fisheries in the Chesapeake bay have been adversely affected by such pollution. The Gulf of Mexico is at risk. We should not subsidize such destructive practices, but should reward good farm practices instead.
The use of bio-char in soil in soil increases soil fertility and has been shown to sequester carbon for thousands of years. Carbon sequestration can limit or reverse global warming.
The use of bio-char in soil in soil increases soil fertility and has been shown to sequester carbon for thousands of years. Carbon sequestration can limit or reverse global warming.