Barnyards and Birkenstocks

Barnyards and Birkenstocks

More often than not environmentalist and farmers don't see eye to eye, however a book written by Washington author Don Stuart book, Barnyard and Birkenstocks: Why Farmers and Environmentalists Need Each Other, provides practical tips and advice on working towards the common goal of a flourishing and healthy environment.

Stuart: "Farmers and environmentalists need each other. But they both face a paradox. In that for environmentalists they see the environmental problems we face and they think they are horrible. And they feel like very severe, unmistakable steps need to be taken to solve those problems — so they favor regulation. And of course, farms probably more than any other industry that I know of are vulnerable to that sort of thing. The problem for the environmental community is that, if they regulate too heavily, those farms could be driven out of business and what would replace them would be worse. So in their zeal to protect the environment, it's quite possible that the environmental community could end harming the environmental."

Stuart says that conversely farmers also face a paradox too. They hate regulation and prefer to solve environmental issue with voluntary incentives. However, there has never been enough funds available to solve environmental issues. In order to have the necessary incentive funding — a widespread public support is needed - including support of the environmental community.

Stuart: "It's not to say there aren't problems. I think that farmers know better than anyone what those problems are. But it is choosing the way in which we solve those problems that is key.

To purchase his book, go to www.donstuart.net.

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