Newspapers / The Daily Advance (Elizabeth … / March 6, 2011, edition 1 / Page 6
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11 11 I I 6 2011 PROGRESS & REVIEW, SUNDAY, MARCH 6,2011 Environmental changes benefit farms By BOB MONTGOMERY Staff Writer 2011 PROGRESS&REViEW/The Future From The Ground Up GROWING GREEN Tree buggers they’re not, but farmers care just as much about a clean en vironment as anyone else. After aU, clean water and soil are key to their liveli hood. And while regulation — the dreaded “R” word on WaU Street — might be seen as big government intrusion to some, it has meant technological ad vances in the world of agri culture that have produced better yields and a cleaner environment. When new laws are passed, it is ultimately up to farmers to make sure they are followed. Art Latham, a spokes man with the N.C. Coop erative Extension, said his agency helps interpret new regulations and then gives farmers tools — such as workshops and demon strations — to implement them. “Regulationisthedriver,” Extension watershed spe cialist Mitch Woodward of Wake County told Latham in a 2009 article. “Our edu cation programs have been very well received by com Many environmental factors have affected farming in the past 25years. Besides improve ments to water quality under the Clear Water Act, there have been regulatory changes to protect wetlands. Also, timbering operations have improved to lessen erosion and sedimen tation and protect farmland. STATEWIDE TOP 5 REGULATORY CHANGES AFFECTING AGRICULTURE IN THE PAST 25 YEARS LOCAL TOPS REGULATORY CHANGES AFFECTING AGRICULTURE IN THE PAST 25 YEARS 1. Food safety legislation 2. Regulation of large livestock and poultry farms under the Clean Water Act 3. Regulation of water quality 4. National organic standards 5. Subsidies for bio-energy production 1. Swine lagoon management 2. Wetlands designation 3. Farm nutrient management 4. Land clearing 5. Pesticide application and record-keeping SOURCE: Ted Feitshans, N.C. Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics SOURCE: Lewis Smith, N.C. Cooperative Extension • Service director, Perquimans County STAFF GRAPHIC BY MICHAEL HUNLEY munities across our state because they address the regulatory programs.” One major program that has been constantly evolv ing is the U.S. Environ- nmental Protection Agen cy’s 1972 Clean Water Act. In order for communities to obtain their National Pol lution Discharge Elimina tion System permit to dis charge untreated, polluting stormwater into streams, communities must submit engineered stormwater “best management plans” that show how they plan to remove pollutants in runoff from urban areas. Phase 1 of the two-phased stormwater program regu lated runoff from North Carolina’s largest cities and construction sites that disturb five or more acres, according to Latham. Phase 2, begun in 1999 and stiU under way, begins to regulate small towns and construction sites that disturb an area as small as one acre. Statewide, that af fects more than 150 smaller communities, Latham stat ed. Runoff can be an envi ronmental problem when it collects pollutants while crossing farmland and impervious areas such as streets and roads and park ing lots before entering waterways. ERA’S goal is to reduce stream erosion and pollution and improve water quality. Runoff can include chemicals, metals and bacteria from fertil izers, wildlife and animal waste and cars and indus tries. Besides regulation, farm ers are using better com puter technology and labo ratory science to improve their farming methods and production. For example, many crop sprayers are now equipped with GPS systems that mon itor the sprayer’s swaths to prevent overlap of pesti cides, according to Lewis Smith, interim Extension director for Pasquotank County and the director for Perquimans County “This saves the grower money on chemicals and time, and reduces the amount of chemicals re leased into the environ ment,” Smith said. Improvements have also been made in genetically modified crops, Smith said. “Today, a farmer can buy seed from an insecticide on the seed coat to counteract injury from a soilborne in sect,” he said. “At the same time, that very seed has been genetically modified to be tolerant to a specific herbicide and carries and insectical gene that wfil kill a specific insect that feeds on the foliage or roots while not harming benefi cial insects.’ There is a tradeoff Seeds can cost eight times as much as they did 25 years ago, he said. “But the benefits are huge,” he said. “The aver age farmer now feeds 155 people. Twenty or so years ago, that number was one- half or less.” And the environment is better off as weU, he add ed. “The volume of pesti cides being released into the environment as a result of new technology is min ute compared to what we may have seen 20, 30 or 50 years ago. Everyone likes that.” The bottom line, Lewis said, is that changes in farming the past quarter century due to regulation and innovation have been beneficial — to both the bottom line, and the envi ronment. “As a rule, farmers are the last people that want to destroy the environment because their livelihoods depend on it,” he said. “As consmners, we aU like the benefits of what modern agriculture has to offer.” 20^“ ANNIVERSARY Celebrating 20 years as your pools and spa store! We are your POOL & SPA We offer a complete line of pool and spa products & accessories including; ToGuard * E-Z Pool * E>aoiuac\l * 3a(\ua Spa Specializing in Fool & Spa Water Analsis COUNTRY LEISURE POOLS 1331 Ocean Hwy. S., Hertford • 426-772^ Serving you since 1991 Ag agents’ duties evolve over time By CATHY WILSON The Perquimans Weekly For veteran North Caro lina Extension Agent Lewis Smith, the last 25 years has been a blur of changes. From learning new crops to learning new technology. Smith and the rest of the Extension employees have adapted with the times. “It used to be if I needed to make a phone caU, I’d have to wait until I got to E.Nixon ELDING & Hardware, Inc. CUSTOA WELDING HAIQIWAR^- URPE saECTOH Household Items Lavn&Ga^en • Clothing & Accessoiues- MaiVfliwr&CHiiMpr • SHOES' • BOOTS SFOBJSMAN SUPnjIK • AND AUCH MOHfI CAHiwtnt J DURAKGO HUHTINSOECWs PMMOS SfoeiiK The LAN^- ^flas- ■;»T. ft Carhartt Hard at work since 1889, 3036 ROCKY HOCK lUDAD 1 EDENTON i 221-4348 I 221-8343 a farm with a farm shop nearby that had a phone in it,” said Smith, director of the Perquimans Coimty Extension Service. “With the introduction of cell phones, I am more readily accessible these days.” The latest information on products, crops, or equip ment is now more readily accessible as weU, thanks to the internet, websites, and email, he added. What once took weeks to receive by snaU mail is now avail able with the click of a computer key As a result, more service provided by Extension programs are of ten conducted in the office rather than out in the fields as in days gone by “That’s because of eco nomic reasons and because of the advancement of technology,” Smith said. “It used to be that we could travel up to 1,000 miles a month,” he said. “The state has become more “Years ago, there might have been some waste, but at today's prices farmers can't afford that any more. Lewis Smith Perquimans Extension agent frugal with travel now.” Changes in the type of crops grown now keeps Extension agents on their toes, from learning new growing tips to being edu cated on the different types of chemicals used in th4 growth and production process. DOZIER'S MIMI STORAGE PO Box 51 Herffotd, WC 27944 Phone 252426-7917 UNITS AVAILABLE 5x10,10x10,10x20 & 10x30 Mon - Tues, Thurs, Fri 10:00 - 4:00 Wed & Sat 10:00 -12:00 For example. Smith says peanuts were the big cash crop 25 years ago. Lo cal acreage rose as high as 4,700 during its heyday causing Extension agents to be knowledgeable of that crop and products involved in that process. Because of the price now, peanut acreage has fallen to 1,000-1,200 acres, Smith noted. “The older farmers would have thought peanuts were here to stay,” he said. By comparison, cotton was “just coming into its own” with very few produc ers in 1986. “Last year, there were over 12,000 acres planted,” Smith said. A cotton gin is opera tional in WinfaU now, and chemicals used to treat the crop have changed through out the years. “That’s why this job is so enjoyable,” grinned Smith. “We have to learn the prod ucts as they change with the crops. There’s a dif ferent problem that crops up every day That’s what makes this job so exciting. We learn something new every day” Smith says modern pro ducers want more infor mation on technology, on business issues, and infor mation to help them make better choices to become more cost effective in farm- mg. “Years ago, there might have been some waste, but at today’s prices, farmers can’t afford that any more,” See AGENTS, 22 Qneyuj-a GiJt& FELTMAN BROTHERS % / • DIAMONDS COBALT BANDS ~ TITANIUM BANDS BABY GIFTS ~ WEDDING GIFTS ~ CHINA REFLECTION BEADS ~ HEART STRINGS 76 SILVER RON VICK x" * WjK KEN ATTKISSON GUY HARVEY BndaUB^ghi^ r KegisilN!\ ““ ^yr&iUops &. Flugs f CITIZENS LENOX \Sib^ { OF HERTFORD &MANY MORE! JEWELRY & FINE GIFTS 116 W. Market St. ~ HERTFORD ~ 252-426-1419 Hours: Mon. - Fri. 10am - 5:30pm • Sat. 10am - 3pm
The Daily Advance (Elizabeth City, N.C.)
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March 6, 2011, edition 1
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