Soil Compaction a Major Concern for Farmers. Is it any Wonder?

                                  Source: Understanding Ag  

A tractor and air-seeder on a Manitoba farm. A PinP photo.

Soil compaction is climbing the list of concerns for dairy farmers, and a recent Iowa State survey backs that up: 80% of farmers polled are now worried about it, up sharply from a decade ago, as bigger equipment and shrinking fieldwork windows raise the stakes. Add in the billions of dollars extreme weather cost agriculture last year, and a broken water cycle gets expensive fast.                                            

Four years ago, the scientific journal, "The Conversation," revealed something startling. Entitled, "FarmVehicles Weigh almost as Much as the Heaviest Dinosaurs," its article describes why that's a problem, here.

The Monsanto–Bayer Tie-Up is Just One of Seven Mega-Mergers That Threaten Seeds, Food Security

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Organic hemp seed. PinP photo.

Policymakers could still block the agri biz mergers; peasants and farmers will continue the fight for seeds and rights. Story here.

'Five-Alarm Threat to Our Food Supply': Monsanto-Bayer Merger Advances

CommonDreams

Chemical and GMO giants agree on takeover offer worth $66 billion; mega-merger to be reviewed by antitrust agencies worldwide. Story here.

Editorial: Canada Called Out on Our Dirty Little Secret

Laura Rance - Manitoba Co-Operator  Canola field - PinP photo. The world is full of customers who think they are special. Story here.

You Need Phosphorus to Live—and We're Running Out

Mother Jones

Pesticide sprayer on a farm in Manitoba, Canada. PLT photo.

Industrial farming has played a part in sucking this critical element out of our soil.

Details here.