The famous Black Dirt region of Orange County is so-called for its dark, ultra-rich soil that is also known as muck soil. And muck, in this case, is definitely a good thing.
Late last month U.S. Rep. John Hall and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand introduced a joint bill in Congress to reward farmers who undertake measures to maintain their invaluable muck soil,. They said their bill is in response to farmers request for help in protecting the resource.
Muck soil is a special type of soil farmed to produce onions, potatoes, lettuce, celery, and other specialty crops. This soil develops a thick organic layer of topsoil that is highly vulnerable to erosion when the lands are exposed to air.
Hall, whose 19th District includes the Black Dirt region and Gillibrand who recently visited for a listening session with farmers, introduced the Conservation on Muck Soils bill in both the houses of Congress.
The bill would reward onion growers in the Hudson Valley and in other muck soil regions in central New York and nationally for undertaking responsible conservation practices, such as planting cover crops and taking other anti-erosion methods. The bill also eliminates regulations that required long term commitments and prevented many farm fields from being put to productive use.
Calling the federal legislators, “outstanding supporters of agriculture” Orange County grower and farming activist Chris Pawelski said their bill is a start of a process that replaces poor federal policy with “an innovative program that is a genuine soil conservation program and that is a working farms program. It is smart public policy that encourages conservation and continued food production.”
He said he doubts the legislation as currently written would be passed, but said it is a necessary first step in having consideration for muck soil regions included in the upcoming federal Farm Bill, an omnibus piece of legislation passed every five years, that essentially steers federal policy and dollars toward agricultural concerns enumerated by those interests able to get their point of view included in the legislation.
“It”™s huge,” Pawelski said. “If this were to become part of the farm bill, having a section tailored to meeting the challenges of farmers in muck soils all across the country it would mean a great deal to us. Hats off to Hall and Gillibrand for pushing this to the forefront.”
Hall said meeting with farmers brought this problem to light.
“This is a great example of constituents”™ voices influencing policy on the national level.”
