Re: Farm Dust Reduction Mandate from EPA

Posted by Hal/WA on October 10, 2006 at 01:17:06 from (66.45.175.118):

In Reply to: Farm Dust Reduction Mandate from EPA posted by Joe in IN on October 09, 2006 at 08:59:11:

I wouldn't be surprised if that happens. It is now illegal to burn bluegrass straw in Washington State, as was done for many years as a result of an order of the State Department of Health. This has severely impacted bluegrass seed production, which was the one crop that worked well in this area and actually generated a profit every year.

Burning did cause a small amount of air pollution, for a few days per year. But not burning the straw causes many more costs to the farmer--removing the vegetation and increased need to use chemicals to control weeds and insects. But the worst problem is the markedly reduced seed yield. Burning the stubble stimulates the perrenial bluegrass plants to produce much more seed than an unburned plant produces.

Since burning is still allowed in Idaho and other states, our Washington farmers are placed in a competative disadvantage growing bluegrass seed. A number of farmers have gone back to planting wheat, which requires at least some tillage and causes dust several times a year. And since lots of the area is hilly, soil erosion is again a big problem, which was very well controlled by the bluegrass sod.

Unfortunately this is no longer a nation of farmers. We are few and have less and less political clout. Yeah, I would not be a bit surprised if there gets to be a severe restriction on dust.

It has got so, to me, environmentalist is a dirty word.....

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