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I do not feel qualified to talk about the
recent passage of regulations affecting hog farms in Florida. However,from my
own experience as a Dairy Farmer in Vermont I would like to comment on the
results of this kind of regulation. The vast majority of those of us in
commercial agriculture do our best to care for our animals. As with most any
business there are those who intentionally or through ignorance create
problems for their industry. What bothers me about blanket type legislation,
especially when pushed though by well intentioned,but ill informed,people is
that quite often the resulting regulations do little to improve the
situation and only increase the paperwork and expense for the farmer. For
example, I must have in place a nutrient management plan which accounts for all
manure produced on the farm. How many loads of manure are spread on which
fields, crop yields from those fields,supported by soil tests and even a manure
analysis. This was first started several years ago as a deterrent to large farm
operations but has been modified over the years so that now it includes small
family farms like my own. As horse owners how would you like to account for
every wheelbarrow load of manure? How about needing a current soil test before
you are allowed to put some on your roses? Give it away...we need the name and
address of who you gave it to and what they did with it? Has your neighbor got a
problem with your manure pile or maybe his well water is bad..he can even get a
reward for reporting violations. Meeting the paperwork requirements
takes alot of time that I as a small farmer can ill afford where the large
operations hire or have on staff someone to deal with them.
My caution to those who support such
regulation is think what it would mean to you and how you handle your horses if
some well meaning group felt that horses on pasture,having to endure the heat of
summer and cold of winter, is cruel and inhumane. Now you must provide a heated
and air-conditioned box stall at least 12x12 with individual turn out.
Think it couldn't happen ...guess again. But of course $$ is no object when
animal welfare is
involved.
Steven Hurd Newport Center,Vermont
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