Dear Editor:
The Government of Ontario is asking for submissions for the 2020 budget. Anyone can make a submission but it has to be in before Feb. 11. This is what I submitted.
The advantages of regenerative agriculture are many and are well known. Some of these are: 1) better absorption of rainfall to ameliorate the effects of drought and to reduce flooding and runoff of nutrients and soil, 2) sequester carbon in the soil for better soil health, improved crop yields and less carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere, 3) reduce cost to the farmer through less use of fossil fuels and fertilizer, 4) environmental benefits of reduced use of pesticides and herbicides.
It may take farmers several years to switch from conventional to regenerative agriculture, and so they need incentives to make the switch, and support while making the necessary changes.
Support for farmers might be provided in the form of grants for agreeing to a plan to switch to using regenerative techniques. Incentives such as providing a substantial reduction in the cost of crop insurance could be given to farmers who plant cover crops and keep live roots in their soil all year. Farmers could also be helped to sell validated offsets into the voluntary and compliance carbon markets by establishing a clear science-based, efficient quantification process.
In the United States, farmers are paid to use regenerative techniques along waterways to reduce flooding through better absorption of rainfall and less runoff of water, soil and nutrients.
There are many long-term benefits for farmers – nutrition, ecology and the climate – to switch to regenerative agriculture.
Ron Moore,
Hillsburgh