No farms - no food! Farmers protest in the Netherlands

[C_T_Russell]

Ive only heard the negative effects on nitrates is due to runoff into streams, I agree thats a major issue.
Even if it causes co2 to be released from soil, its still from a carbon neutral source as organic matter.
Not that I think that these farming practices are ideal, but what alternatives are there?
Organic food costs stupid money, but thats our only alternative unless they can make organic fertilizers cheaper or something.

You would have to agree that any alternatives need to be cheaper rather than imposing strict controls on farmers that end up costing the consumer in the supermarket.

Soil science is a very complex subject. Having studied as part of a Dip Hort it was intriguing.

In Organic/environmental aware circles urea (nitrogen) fertiliser is referred to as 'rich father, poor son' fertiliser. It works in part by supplying N in a water soluble (therefore easily leached) form for plants but also stimulates the bacteria that break down organic matter, which is the main component of topsoil. Those are the same organisms that break down the garden wastes in your compost and that is why a compost heap requires nitrogen rich inputs in order to decompose effectively.

In soil that organic matter (soil carbon) is a crucial part of the soil's ability to produce its own nitrogen so as excess nitrogen fertiliser is added that carbon reservoir depletes and so more nitrogen fertiliser must be used to gain the same growth boost. If that sounds like an increasing addiction you're understanding what the ongoing result is on farms that rely on N fertilisers to maintain their production. That addiction is what the 'poor son' will be left with after his father has got 'rich' from mining the soil organic matter.

The alternatives we are now seeing are Organics, which are expensive as much because of the costs of maintaing a robust and uncorruptible audit trail, as the reduced production rates on land that has to carry its own weight fertility wise. Also the price comparison between Organic and conventional production costs is disguised due to the full costs of conventional farming not being factored into the equation in most cases. If the costs of environmental degradation, health issues (i.e. nitrate poisoning of water supplies, respiratory/cardiac issues from atmospheric emissions, elevated cancer rates from pesticide residues or spray drift, etc) were taken into account, as the Dutch government and many others are now attempting to do, then the cost to consumers of their produce will start to reflect the true cost of food production. If you think the squawks coming from our farmers when inclusion in the ETA is suggested you ain't seen nothing yet, as your Sky.AU video shows.

The other food production system that is gaining traction in terms of responsible environmental activity is Regenerative Agriculture. That's still an emerging platform that is finding its way in the food production arena but the basis looks promising. You seem to have plenty of time to find information on the internet so maybe google this and educate yourself on the source and impact your food supply has.

There is definitely quite a lot to it, but if governments want to tackle this seriously, they need to at least fund the transition for farmers and invest more in research.
I doubt we would see farmers complaining if they were provided the assistance to do so.

Ive spent lots of time in the garden and its not easy, I dont use much in the way of synthetic fertilizers at all, mostly seaweed liquid foods and sheep pellets etc, yet nothing really wants to grow that well.

I know adding mulch is supposed to help, but at the same time it sucks nitrogen out of the soil as it breaks down.
Yet some people say they find sawdust is brilliant, yet that stuff is supposed to be the worst thing for removing nitrogen out of the soil.

Oh and by the way, it turns out that half the problems facing Sri Lanka's economy right now and the mess they are now in is a result of their extreme "green" moves to reduce nitrates.
All their tea crops had gone "organic" and have largely failed. No wonder things are bad.
Perhaps if they had experts helping them it may have turned out differently?
We west could face the same if we are not careful...