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Comments for All Farmers
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Farmers
farmers of berkely
county
Musselman HS
3/19/2012
Farmers have a very important role on the cleanup and
the pollution of the Chesapeake Bay
Ecosystem. Farmers use a large quantity of fertilizer
and pesticides to help their crops
grow. Although they are important to the lifestyle of
the farmers, fertilizers and
pesticides need to be reduced in order to help solve the
pollution issue. The question is, how
do we reduce the amount of fertilizers and pesticides
used and grow healthy crops?
Fertilizers are a large part of the lives of a farmer.
They are spread amongst fields to
give the soil nutrients it needs to grow better crops.
If a farmer cannot grow good crops,
how will they make a profit to support their families
and where would our food come from?
Farmers use fertilizer because it a recyclable item and
doesn't cost very much money and
is easy to come by if you own animals.
Farmers use pesticides to spray the leaves of their
crops to keep animals and insects
from eating them. Deer and rabbits are the biggest plant
eaters that farmers run into.
Many different varieties of insects feed on the plants
and seeds of the crops. If farmers
do not spray their crops and keep the animals away, they
won't have crops to harvest
because they will all be eaten.
Although fertilizer is helpful to the farmers, it
isn't so helpful to the Chesapeake Bay.
Fertilizer is a high source of nitrogen. High nitrogen
levels cause algae to grow over the
water. When algae grow over the water, oxygen has no way
of entering the water to help
the plants grow or the fish breathe. When the plants on
the bottom of the bay die, the fish
not only loose oxygen but they loose their food too.
Eventually, the fish will die off and
their will be no life in the bay.
Pesticides may help to keep the insects and animals
away from the plants, but it also
affects the water and animals that live in the water.
When it rains or the plants get wet
the pesticide runs off into the ground. Where does it go
from there? Well it flows into the
streams and rivers around the area. From there it flows
into the Chesapeake and all of the
chemicals end up in the water. The chemicals in the
pesticides kill off the plants and aquatic
life in the bay.
One way to reduce the pollution of the fertilizers and
pesticides is to build control ponds
around the farmers land and to also plant more trees and
plants around the bay. The truth
is, we can't eliminate the use of fertilizers and
pesticides because without them our plants
wouldn't grow, farmers wouldn't make a profit, and we
wouldn't have crops to eat.
Reducing the amount of pollution in the bay is important
but fertilizers are important in
everyday life too.
Join the Thoughtful Discussion
Thoughtful
Discussion
From:
Dudley Squatters - homeowner - MslmnHS
Ask
3/28/2012
While you say you plan to build control ponds, have you
considered who will sponsor the
payment of this? It's probably best to keep it out of
the taxpayer's hands.
From:
Wilderness Tours - recreation - MslmnHS
Ask
3/29/2012
pesticide is leathal
From:
Wilderness Tours - recreation - MslmnHS
Ask
3/29/2012
You have a good point that farms are important but,tell
us more about what you can do
to help the economy
From:
Wilderness Tours - recreation - MslmnHS
Ask
3/29/2012
You have a good point that farms are important but,tell
us more about what you can do
to help the economy
From:
G&M Farming - farmer - MslmnHS
Ask
4/3/2012
The pesticides cause the bugs to stay away, but you
could put a fence up to stop the
animals from eating the crops.
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Farmers
LMS Cattle Productions
Musselman HS
3/20/2012
As farmers of Berkeley County we have a responsibility
to uphold a clean ecosystem. It is
hard for us to keep our ecosystem clean when our cattle
are so close to the streams. Some
people want us to put up special fences to keep our
calves out of the water. The fence
they want us to put up however it's very expensive and
it takes a lot of work to put up. It
would be nice if we could get some financial assistance.
As Albert Todd said, "It is a very big watershed and we
all have to play a part." In order
for everyone to play a part it would be nice if we could
have better guidance for what they
wanted us to do. They also don't want us to put
pesticides on our crops because when it
rains it runs off into the streams and the fish die. How
to people expect to get a good yield
of crops when the bugs are eating all the crops. I
believe in the future of agriculture in
order to keep agriculture strong in this country we must
be able to take necessary risks in
our environment. Some people may not agree with our
point of view.
When we spread fertilizer in our fields people drive by
and complain about the smell. They
don't realize that bad smell helps put vegetables on
their plates. If they want us to change
the way we fertilize our fields maybe we could work
together and find out a new way to
fertilize our crops. There are many alternatives to
putting manure in our fields but that is
the easiest and least expensive way to fertilize our
fields. If there were a cheaper and
effective way to fertilize our crops we would be very
open to try it in our fields.
Back to the cattle situation, there is no way to manage
the methane gases that come from
our cattle. It doesn't matter what kind of fence you put
up if a cow wants to get to the
water they will go through the fence to get to the
water. The only way we could manage
the pollution in the watershed is if we were to dam the
creeks to minimize the polluted
water flow. If we were to dam the creeks we have to put
in ponds in our fields as a
permanent water source. It takes a lot of manpower,
money, and time to put in a decent
pond for a herd of cattle.
It is going to be very expensive and very difficult to
help stop pollution in our streams. We
use a lot of hazardous chemicals and nitrogen filled
pesticides to keep our crops in good
shape for the public. If we didn't put the chemicals on
the crops, animal and bugs would
destroy the crops and there will be nothing for us to
sell. That will be bad for farmers
because we won't have any money to make crops next year.
It would be bad for people
because crops will be expensive and in short supply.
Overall it may be difficult, it may be expensive, it may
put people in a bad mood but it has
to be done to help save our environment so our children
will be able to enjoy the same farm
life we do today. Its going to take a lot of work but we
can do it together as a nation we
can save this problem that we created before it gets too
much more out of hand. The
money that's a problem in itself, the farmers are poor,
the people are poor, and the
government does not have the money to help us
sufficiently. We will have to find a way to do it
ourselves there have been many generations of Americans
who have solved much bigger problems, we need to show
that we can fix a few ourselves. Thank you for listening
to what we think about our watershed.
Join the Thoughtful Discussion
Thoughtful
Discussion
From:
G&M Farming - farmer - MslmnHS
Ask
4/3/2012
You make a very valid point about the finacal burden of
the fencing.
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Farmers
farmersss
Musselman HS
3/21/2012
Farmers are very important to the life of the Chesapeake
Bay. They influence very much
POV:
on the land and water. They use pesticides and
fertilizers on their farm. Pesticides are
used to spray on their plants as repellents. Fertilizers
are used in the land to help the
plants grow and prosper. These things need to be reduced
to stop water pollution in the
Bay.
Pesticides and fertilizers are harmful to the land and
water. They drain into the rivers and
pollute it. Excess nutrients overflow from the land to
the river. The high levels of nitrogen
deplete the levels of oxygen in the water and algae
grow, blocking anymore oxygen from
entering it. The plants in the water need oxygen and
will die without it. Fish need the plants
to eat and will die.
Even though the equipment is harmful to the land and
water, the farmers can't quit using
them. They need it to survive in their own economy. How
will they make a living if they can't
protect their crops and livestock? They continue using
them. We wouldn't have crops and
farms couldn't thrive.
Buffers are one thing that can assist in reducing the
pollution. They go along the rivers
beside farms to prevent nutrients and sprays from
entering the river. They are harmless to
the environment.
Join the Thoughtful Discussion
Thoughtful
Discussion
From:
JACT - homeowner - EHHS
Ask
3/27/2012
What can be used as a buffer and how would this affect
the environment?
From:
The Quick-Build Land Developers - developer - MdS
Ask
3/29/2012
Is there something else instead that we can use in place
of expensive fences?
From:
Ol' McDonald Cleans His Farm - farmer - MdS
Ask
4/2/2012
Will the buffers directly help block excess nutrients?
Or is there a possibility they
could contribute to the pollution?
From:
The Local Goverment Wants to Make a Difference -
local_gov -
Ask
3/31/2012
What are some other ways to reduce pollution from farms
other then planting
buffers?
From:
K&T Group - recreation - MslmnHS
Ask
4/3/2012
Some of this information is new to me. Very interesting
and good points. (:
From:
YnoK - Other - EHHS
Ask
4/11/2012
Can you be a little more clear on what you would use as
a buffer?
From:
Hicks - farmer - EHHS
Ask
4/11/2012
my question for the day to you is. in your story you
never said how the fertlizer helped
ther plants and helped the crops grow and things, so it
wil lbe nice if you let us know
how the fertilzer helps the process of plant growth.
thanks.
From:
octtoes - Waterman - EHHS
Ask
4/11/2012
What other resources could you use other than buffers?
From:
Helmet Stealers - farmer - EHHS
Ask
4/11/2012
You talked about buffers in the last paragraph. What
effects could having buffers
along your rivers have on your farm?
From:
clueless people - homeowner - EHHS
Ask
4/16/2012
I read your POV and learned some new stuff. I do have a
question though. What
exactly is a buffer and how much would it cost to put
them in? Is there anything else
we could use, besides a buffer, to prevent chemicals
from getting into the Bay??
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Farmers
wvrebels
East Hardy HS
3/26/2012
We important to the enviroment because we help
control what goes into the water
POV:
system. By putting cover crops, we also control the run
off from feralizers and animal
wastes.
The bay does not really affect us in our area
except all the run off that go there.We
try to prevent all the Pesticides and other chemicals
from water supply by using the
sediment ponds and other things at the edges of the
water.
If you had a a sediment pond you could put fish in
it. It might cost a lot of money but it
would be worth it in the end. We're going to have water
if the people up stream would
follow regulations.
We would prefer sediment ponds because there easier
to put in, look better,they are
faster acting, and you could put fish in it. Also you
could put cover crops in to because you
could benefit from them a lot for your animals to eat or
to sell. They both cost little to put
in and last for a good while.
Join the Thoughtful Discussion
Thoughtful
Discussion
From:
Fisherwomen - Waterman - EHHS
Ask
3/27/2012
The main thing we got from your POV is about sediment
ponds. A sedimont pond is not
going to solve all of the bays problems. How about
considering using safer pesticides
and chemicals?
Response
wvrebels - farmer - EHHS
To:
Fisherwomen - Waterman - EHHS
4/11/2012
Sediment ponds are a good solution for catching
pollution and you could have fish
to clean the pond. Safer pesticides would be another
good solution but thats not
going to solve all the problems either.
From:
Dudley Squatters - homeowner - MslmnHS
Ask
3/28/2012
What exactly is the purpose of cover crops and how will
they effect/control run-off
erosion?
Response
wvrebels - farmer - EHHS
To:
Dudley Squatters - homeowner - MslmnHS
4/11/2012
Cover crops root down in the soil and hold the soil from
eroding from the river
banks.Won't help much with run off though.
From:
Ol' McDonald Cleans His Farm - farmer - MdS
Ask
4/2/2012
You said the pollution does not affect you in your area,
but do you affect the
pollution? What else could you do besides sediment
ponds that will be inexpensive and
help lessen your contribution to the bay's pollution?
Response
wvrebels - farmer - EHHS
To:
Ol' McDonald Cleans His Farm - farmer - MdS
4/11/2012
Not Pollution does not effect our area much. We could
user safer fertalizers
and small things here and there.
From:
JJPA - CBP_Fed - EHHS
Ask
4/16/2012
You mention sediment ponds as a good solution for the
bays problems, what other
solution are there as a farmer?
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Farmers
Helmet Stealers
East Hardy HS
3/26/2012
Farmers play a major role in the ecosystem of the
Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Though ourPOV:
influences can harm our surroundings, the problems and
solutions of the Chesapeake
Watershed affect us more.
Agriculture is simply too important to our area to break
down with restrictions and
limitations. Covering one-fourth of the Chesapeake
watershed, we have over 87,000
working farms and more than 6.5 million acres of
farmland among us. With over fifty
different crops and products (including corn, wheat,
soybeans, and countless other fruits
and vegetables), we are essential to the economy and
lifestyles of our area.
To protect and nurture our crops, we use pesticides and
fertilizers to increase our profit
for less cost. In theory, this method has many benefits
with little to no consequences. But,
when a heavy rain comes and washes the pesticides and
the fertilizers away, they have to
go somewhere. Unfortunately for the Chesapeake Bay, it
ends up right in its streams and
rivers, affecting the entire ecosystem.
Now, even though we can harm the environment, we do so
as a non-point source. Unlike
factories, we do not deliberately drain our waste into
the nearest stream or river. Ninety
percent of the phosphorus that enters the river from our
farm comes from two or three
rain showers a year. Why do so many people want to
change our system when we aren't the
main problem?
We will admit that some of the suggested best management
practices, or BMPs, would
reduce pollution from our farms, and if we could choose
one or two to do it would be
manageable. For example we could plant a few cover crops
in the fall to absorb the excess
nutrients and form a tree and grass buffer along the
river next to our farm.
But, if we are mandated to do everything that they
suggest, just the cost of setting it up
alone could run us out of business. That's without
mentioning all the money we would lose
on production decreases. The number in remaining active
farms would be cut in half.
So, plain and simple, unless someone invents a hybrid
crop that doesn't need fertilizer or
insect protection, farmers will always need them. The
solutions that have been proposed
just aren't cost effective enough for us to use them all
together. We may be able to do
one or possibly two, but that would be a very strong
maybe. There's no way for us to run a
business and cut out all the pollution from out fields.
Join the Thoughtful Discussion
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Farmers
Red Hot Ninjas
East Hardy HS
3/26/2012
As farmers, we are important for grains and dairy
products that are present in your every
POV:
day foods. The population as a whole wouldn't be able to
survive without farmers being
there to grow crops and supply the people. Famers
throughout the nation live to grow and
produce crops to sell to grocery stores or directly to
the people. Therefore, water sheds
affect farmers and their businesses by complicating
irrigation systems if polluted.
We farmers use water to nourish our crops and water
cattle, sheep, chickens, pigs, and
goats. Say the water that we use to water our animals
was polluted. Wouldn't that possible
infect them with a disease or maybe result in death? It
is, in fact, a possibility. And, if
there's no clean purified water to use, then we won't be
able to provide our animals with
water which would result in no eggs, milk, bacon, ham,
etc. If we didn't have clean water to
nourish our crops we wouldn't have grains, corn,
vegetables, etc.
If we found a way to purify the water in the bay, we
would be able to give our crops and
animals water to survive and grow. On the other hand, if
the water is completely clean,
there may be water usage restrictions. Even though water
is needed to grow crops,
fertilizer is also used. Sometimes fertilizer tends to
run off into the nearby streams and
pollute the water all over again, restricting our use
from the water. So then, we'd have to
spend money to find an alternative water source or an
alternative way to get water from
the sheds without polluting them.
The farmers have come to a conclusion and think it is
best if the community teams up to
clean up the water. Kids in the community who go to our
school that also need community
service, could take a day during the weekend and help
clean up the polluted waters. They
could pick up trash and make sure filthy substances
aren't running off into the water
sheds. Every so often afterwards, we could have a team
check-up on the river just to keep
it clean and sanitary.
Join the Thoughtful Discussion
Thoughtful
Discussion
From:
Green thumbs - farmer - MdS
Ask
3/27/2012
Although it is very likely that animals watered with
polluted water could lead to disease
and contamination, the water used for the animals and
the crops is not from the bay
and therefore this is not a concern.
Also, while school children helping to improve the bay
is always a good thing, this is too
big of a responsibility to be left to them alone.
From:
Dudley Squatters - homeowner - MslmnHS
Ask
3/28/2012
I agree with "Green thumbs". This is far too large of a
job for children to take on
alone. They need support and laborers of much greater
age and wisdom.
From:
Wilderness Tours - recreation - MslmnHS
Ask
3/29/2012
yea it would be hard to get the grain an the dairy with
all of the polution out in the
rivers an the bay cause thats where the water sourse
comes from
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Farmers
Green thumbs
Mount de Sales
3/26/2012
REVISED.
Farmers play an important role in the bay, and are often
seen as a problem. Fertilizers and animal wastes pose a
huge difficulty to the livelihood of the bay. Both non
point sources are easily traced back to our farms. As
farmers we are aware that we do pollute the bay and the
areas around us. But what are we to do? Our job holds us
responsible for providing food for people all over the
world. If we stop using fertilizer on our crops or
raising massive amounts of live stock, not only will
there will not be enough food to feed our giant nation,
our farms and small businesses will fail, leaving
families who have been farming for generations in debt
and people hungry. If the environment continues to
deteriorate the way it is now, there is a definite
possibility that the government will try to shut the
farming business down. If this happens the world will
have lost its primary food source and people all over
the world will face the consequences of potential
starvation. Also, if they shut the farming business down
then millions of people will loose their jobs, including
ourselves, therefore hurting not only individual
families in the world but the economy as well.
We can however help to
prevent these nutrients from reaching the water, money
permitting. Those on older farms could construct
blockers or such to help hold in the waste and
fertilizer and keep it from the water. New farms should
be built with the bay in mind, either away from close
water ways, or with a watchful eye towards the areas
where fertilizers are distributed and where animals are
kept.
As far as Government
involvement, it should be minimal and considerate to the
financial state of the farms. Government would also be
helpful not only financially but to get the spread the
word and to regulate all farms; therefore forcing an
improvement in farms all over the world. It is quite
impossible to completely rid of our practice of
agriculture, but we can improve our methods to try to
keep our earth healthy.
Join the Thoughtful Discussion
Thoughtful
Discussion
From:
SpunkySafetyOrangeSheep - developer - MdS
Ask
3/27/2012
We agree that there is no possible way for us to
completely stop our pollution that are
making there way to our water ways. However, we also
would need some kind of
financial support to help stop the polltion. We think it
would benefit us and the
enviorment in the long run to pay the extra money to
help save the bay.
Response
Green thumbs - farmer - MdS
To:
SpunkySafetyOrangeSheep - developer - MdS
3/28/2012
Thank you for your comment, we will take that into
account. We do agree that we
will need some sort of financial support in order to
create these buffers and to
make our ideas become a reality. Possibly through
fundraising or government
funding depending on if we decide that it would be best
if we did involve the
government after all.
From:
The Fishes Advocate - Waterman - MdS
Ask
3/27/2012
I think it's nice that you took responsibility and
acknowledge that farmers are a main
part of the problem. I also like how you thought of
solutions that could work very well.
From:
The Mean Green Governing Machine - local_gov - MdS
Ask
3/27/2012
After reading your plans for preventing nutrients and
waste from running off into the
waterways by placing barriers, we were curious how you
are going to stop the
nutrients from infiltrating the soil and underground
waterways?
Response
Green thumbs - farmer - MdS
To:
The Mean Green Governing Machine - local_gov - MdS
3/28/2012
Cover crops could be planted to help soak up the
nutrients, as well as trees
From:
Jay A. Squared - homeowner - MdS
Ask
3/27/2012
We're glad you recognize that the fertilizers you use
are harming the bay and are
accepting responisibilty for doing so. However, we
disagree with your opinion regarding
Government Involvement. If the government does not get
involved, the chances of
changes actually occurring are slim. There needs to be
some restrictions and
regulations to promote going green. We do believe,
however, that you should recieve
incentives and rewards for doing so.
Response
Green thumbs - farmer - MdS
To:
Jay A. Squared - homeowner - MdS
3/28/2012
We do not oppose government regulations, we are for
them. Our comment is that
the government needs to take into consederation who is
under what regulations. A
larger farm, who is more likely to be able to afford to
keep up with regulations,
adds a larger amount of pollution and therefore should
have greater
responsibility. A smaller farm, however, should not
carry the same heavy burden.
We are not saying that small farms should be exempt from
all regulations, rather
that they should be held accountable to their own
grouping of government
regulations.
From:
Nessie the lock ness monster - CB_Ecosystem - MdS
Ask
3/29/2012
We agree with your opinion but we think there should be
more government invovlement
in farms regardless of size. All farms should be held to
the same standards and
regulations that keep the bays health in mind.
Response
Green thumbs - farmer - MdS
To:
Nessie the lock ness monster - CB_Ecosystem - MdS
4/2/2012
After all of the comments we recieved we decided that it
would be best if we did
involve the government.
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Farmers
Hicks
East Hardy HS
3/26/2012
We are important because we supply food to consumers all
over the chesapeake area.
POV:
Fertilizers that we use to help our crops grow cause
algae to grow in small streams and
rivers. Too much algae can take oxygen out of the water.
We are affected by regulations
passed by the EPA on fertilizers on how much we can use
per year. What we can use is also
regulated by new laws passed by the EPA. This is
affecting our production of produce due
to the regulations on fertilizers. Farmers could
possibly plant tree's or plants around the
edge of fields which they are having problem's with
erosion
Join the Thoughtful Discussion
Thoughtful
Discussion
From:
Green thumbs - farmer - MdS
Ask
3/27/2012
Do you agree with the EPA's regulations, or you do you
disagree?
Response
Hicks - farmer - EHHS
To:
Green thumbs - farmer - MdS
4/11/2012
We agree and disagree with EPA's regulations. We agree
because we understand
the need for some regualtions since they help keep the
creeks clean. We disagree
because other regulations affect our crops and output of
produce to consumers.
From:
JJPA - CBP_Fed - EHHS
Ask
4/16/2012
What exactly do you suggest using to help prevent
pollution in other areas other than
farming? You mentioned the regulations that affect
farmers that help prevent
pollution do you have any suggestions for any other
group such as homeowners, CBF,
ect.?
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Farmers
Sheep Farmers II
East Hardy HS
3/27/2012
Farmers depend on the water ways for the outcome of
their crops and the condidtion of
their livestock. Farmers also can clean the water by
planting trees or keeping livestock out
of rivers.
The Chespeake Bay problems affect me by if the water is
contaimated it could give my
livestock disease. Also if I use the water out of the
streams to water my crops and the
water has been infected with various germs it could
possibly damage my crops.
Take the precaution to keep the steam clean because now
is voluntary, however, by
dismissing this problem federal officials may take the
incintive and make regulations. Which
would cause serious problems in the future for
tradition farmers.
As a farmer the water will run into my land and I will
be in and using it a lot. If the water
has disease I could contract a water bourne illness,
that would probably affect the rest of
my life. If I have family members or workers that come
in contact with the stream, I
would be responsible for their well being.
I would prefer that farmers would keep the water clean,
even if it is harder. In the long
run and for the rest of the community it would be
beneficary to take the extra precautions
to make the water a safer place to be. I also would
like for the other farmers in this area
be aware of how their actions affect more than just
them.
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Farmers
Ol' McDonald
Cleans His Farm
Mount de Sales
3/29/2012
REVISED:
As a farmer, I choose to help
provide clean water, clean air, and wildlife habitat.
If I want to make a living on the land, I need to
implement good conservation practices and go beyond what
is legally required of me to ensure safe and healthy
living environments and products. Restoration efforts
are a statewide occurrence and we as farmers should
volunteer to help in these efforts to make laws and
clean up our bay, although it is difficult to make
environmental improvements that reduce water pollution
while producing food, fuel, and fiber for an
ever-growing population. Farmers, as well as
non-farmers, need to be aware of the excessive pollution
in our waterways to be able to volunteer to help. Such
procedures as making farmers keep their cows out of
waterways and extend their sewage basins will not be as
effective as nutrient management, conservation tillage,
cover crops and conservation of soil and water. Other
options such as using fertilizers wisely, trying
pesticide alternatives, composting, and conserving water
can attribute to controlling soil erosion and rainwater
runoff. Such things do not have to be costly.
By limiting pesticides and
fertilizers, we can limit the excessive nutrients and
runoff that enter the bay. Unfortunately this will also
have a negative affect on farmers. Without proper
protection for our crops, neither crops nor farms will
thrive. However, by slightly reducing the amount of
fertilizer and pesticides we use without putting our
crops in danger, and setting up cover crops and sediment
ponds, we can still reduce the amount of excess
nutrients and pollution.
As far as point source
polluters, they can make their contribution to the bay
by assisting funding the cleanup of non-point pollution,
as they were and may still be huge factors in the
pollution of our bay. Unfortunately, farms could lose a
lot of profit through bay cleanup.
We would need to find new
ways to conserve our water and use animal wastes,
instead of allowing for runoff. There would need to be
greater control over our animals and new, safer
techniques for fertilizing our soil. Although possibly
expensive, unhealthy bay water hurts farms as much as we
pollute it; therefore we must help save the bay.
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Farmers
G&M Farming
Musselman HS
3/30/2012
G&M Farming Co.
Our point of view is coming from the perspective of a
cattle farmer. Most cattle farmers
do many different things to try to stop river pollution
into the watershed. They will have
manure pits to hold the cattle waste which you can use
to fertilize their own fields. They
will put fences up to keep the cattle out of the water
so they do not use the bathroom in
the water. They can plant trees along the bank to stop
the bank from eroding. The trees
also keep the water cooler which is good for the native
fish population including trout and
bass. The will put up silt fences around the stables or
pens to keep the animal waste from
leaving the pens.
It can be expensive to do things that will help
prevent water pollution. The cost can be
redeemed after you take the time to think on the other
cost you will save on in the long run.
Farmers alone can save by more closely watching their
cattle more closely when they are
around rivers. Cattle can drown or injure them selves in
the water which will cause even
more pollution from a dead animal in the water. The
cattle could drink the polluted water
and get sick or die. The cost of new cattle can outweigh
the cost of almost everything done
to try and keep the water clean. In the long run it is
worth every penny that you use to
help the rivers and streams because that helps preserve
them for future generations. You
should show others to keep the water ways clean.
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Farmers
Michaels' Farms
Musselman HS
4/2/2012
As a farmer, my position is that the only way to come to
a consensus is to find a way to
POV:
reduce the burden and expense that is placed on farmers.
For example, buffers that are
placed on edges of property do decrease the amount of
nutrient runoff that enters the
stream, but the down side is that they reduce the amount
of land that is able to be farmed.
I understand the role that the farmers play in the
problems forming in the Chesapeake
Bay; excess nutrient runoff from fertilizers and manure
control. These are serious issues;
the problem is the cost to fix these problems. One
solution would be to fence in livestock in
order to keep them out of the streams. This will help
to reduce some of the excess
nutrients in the streams by not allowing the cows to
deposit manure into the water. Also, it
will reduce the erosion on stream banks by not allowing
the livestock to walk in and out of
the streams. Another solution would be to take the
manure created by the livestock and
age it in manure pits, then use it for fertilizer or
even sell it to make a profit. This will
create a way to reduce the amount of extra nutrients
that enter the streams, and create a
cost savings for the farmers. More solutions like these
will help to clean up the streams
and help to improve the Chesapeake Bay system.
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From:
Hicks - farmer - EHHS
Ask
4/16/2012
So, since you are from Mussleman and really seem to care
about the excess nutrient
run off from animal manure and the fencing needed to
keep this from happening;
What is your stance on the apple farming that seems to
be going on up there? Are
there any real problems with run off from the apples, or
do they already have fences
around their trees to keep the apples from rolling all
over the place?
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Farmers
pharmers
Musselman HS
4/3/2012
As farmers our responsibility to the environment's well
being is of the utmost importance.
We farm the land to provide food for our community, but
in the same process we use
POV:
harmful pesticides and fertilizers that harm the water
shed. The majority of the harmful
watershed going into the Chesapeake Bay has been put on
the shoulders of the farmers.
We are scolded for creating dangerous water shed, but
yet at the same time we are
expected to provide quality crops to our community.
Many people insist that this is a problem that the
farmers need to fix themselves. Those
people are mistaken because without the financial
assistance and support of the community
we cannot have an appropriate solution. In order to
keep the watershed clean we would
have to build a long fence that stretches over our
property and blocks our cattle from the
creeks. This fence takes a lot of time and money to
build. If the community finds it an
unnecessary cause and doesn't want to help, why should
we find it necessary to help. We
need to find a solution that benefits everyone and
provides the right amount of help to
contribute to the fence.
The second thing accused of the problem is our
fertilizer. We find it more in more difficult
to find places to put the fertilizer. When you run out
of places you burry it, and then it
finds its way to the water shed. Now if someone offers
to find a place to put the extra
fertilizer we will be more than willing to cooperate. I
think it would be best for every to
stop pointing fingers and actually try to find a
solution.
We would like to thank you for your time. We hope that
both you and the community find it
easy to look at the situation from our point of view.
Thanks
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Farmers
Farmers of America
Musselman HS
4/3/2012
As farmers of Berkeley County, environmentalists want us
farmers to have extra
responsibilities. Environmentalists want farmers to
build fences to keep our cattle out of
POV:
streams and other public water sources. Unfortunately,
the fences that environmentalists
want us to build are too costly for our budget and so we
would need financial assistance.
The fence raises some other kind of concerns because if
we build a fence near water and
a cow wants water, it will go through a fence. To reduce
water pollution, it would be smart
to build a dam to prevent pesticides and fertilizers
from entering public waters. If we
were to put damns in water, and build natural ponds as a
permanent water source, we ask
for financial assistance as it will require a lot of
money, time, and man power.
Even though it will take a lot of time to maintain a
clean watershed, we are wlling to do
whatever it takes with your assistance. We will show
America that we do care about our
environment and are willing to do whatever it takes no
matter the cause. Thank fyou for
your time and thank you for listening.
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From:
JACT - homeowner - EHHS
Ask
4/11/2012
How do you plan to go about getting help for your
financial expenses?
From:
CG & GC - homeowner - EHHS
Ask
4/11/2012
How are you going to clean out the pollution in the
water, if the cattle do get out?
From:
The Bubble Troopers - CBP_Fed - EHHS
Ask
4/11/2012
We definitely agree with you, but how do we get
environmentalists to understand that
we need assistance?
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Farmers
Farmers of WV
Musselman HS
4/4/2012
Farmers have always been needed because of the valuable
goods they provide to people all
over the world. Farmers are important in the
environmental sense because their cattle
POV:
loosen sediment when they walk along streams and rivers.
Runoff from fertilizers cause
excess plant growth in water bodies which causes dead
zones.
In order to help better the environment, farmers can
soncstruct fences near bodies of
water to prevent cows from walking near them where they
erode the soil and release
waste into the water. Farmers can also rotate the fields
in which they keep their cattle in,
to prevent manure buildup or construct manure pits.
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From:
The Bubble Troopers - CBP_Fed - EHHS
Ask
4/11/2012
Although the fences are a good idea, there are some
farmers who can't afford them.
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Farmers
the Johnsons
Musselman HS
4/4/2012
Farmers use pesticides and fertilizers which are very
harmful to the chesapeake bay.
When it rains and the water runs off from the ground
into the rivers and ponds a lot of
POV:
the fertilizers run with the water and get into the
rivers and stuff. Also, when farmers
own cattle and animals the animals like to stand in the
water. Since the farmers don't wash
the cattle or animals then they are very dirty and
muddy so the water that they stand in
and get muddy and dirty harms the fish and animals in
the chesapeake bay.
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From:
alligator pancakes - Waterman - EHHS
Ask
4/11/2012
Although you have good points, you never stated what
farmers should do to help the
chesapeake bay area. So what do you actually plan on
doing about this problem?
From:
CG & GC - homeowner - EHHS
Ask
4/11/2012
How can you provent the fertilizers from getting into
the rivers?
From:
Hicks - farmer - EHHS
Ask
4/16/2012
Animals being in the water that are muddy does not
affect the water. Water runs over
mud all of the time. Your point of the animals being in
the water does become valid
when the animals begin to dispose of their waste while
in the water.
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Farmers
TGOD
Musselman HS
4/5/2012
BUTLER'S ORCHARD
POV:
Butlers Orchard/ Farm in Germantown, Maryland provide
fruit and vegetables to local
neighbors. They grow more than 25 types of fruit and
vegetable, including strawberries,
apples, oranges, broccoli, squash etc. The orchard
provides all these to most of the people
in the community, but like most orchards they spray
their crops with pesticides.
Most orchards use Methyl Iodide. Methyl Iodide is an
extremely poisonous pesticide. This
pesticide causes cancer, and easily drifts off farms and
orchards into rural communities
causing some kids sickness. This pesticide is very
important to us because it's the main
substance used for strawberries.
Many H.O.As would like for us to use a different
pesticide. Our pesticide seeps into the soil
than soaks up through the roots, once the product
starts to grow and is contaminated.
When it rains it drifts to wells locally. Causing the
water to be undrinkable and unusable.
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From:
alligator pancakes - Waterman - EHHS
Ask
4/11/2012
What other pesticides could you use that would be safer
than the ones that you are
using now? Are there any other safer methods of growing
food?
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Farmers
Tabs
Musselman HS
4/5/2012
As farmers of Berkeley County, we hear a lot of
complaints about poluting our economy.
People don't realize that we're the reason they have
food on thier plates every night.POV:
Yes, we understand that the manuerer from our cows go
into our streams and pollute the
water. But everyone else doesn't understand that it's a
big expense to put up a fence, not
to mention the time and hard work it requires to put it
up. It would be nice if we could have
some help from the people that are complaining.
Spreading fertilizer is another complaint that we hear.
We understand this too, but
spreading fertilizer helps the crops to grow so people
can have food to eat.
As farmers of Berkeley County we will try to change some
things to help out our
community and the world.
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From:
Sheep Farmers II - farmer - EHHS
Ask
4/11/2012
We can relate to the manure problem as well. But we
have a suggestion for you, you
say you want to change things how about building a
manure shed/composter. By
building this shed it will prevent the manure from
polluting your streams.
From:
The Bubble Troopers - CBP_Fed - EHHS
Ask
4/11/2012
We agree that fences are expensive and require a lot of
time and hard work, and that
the complaining people should have a hand in it, but how
are we going to get them
involved?
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