Quadrant is one of the few genuinely independent magazines in Australia today. Most of our newspapers and magazines are filled with the same old shallow, repetitive, syndicated tripe, ‘advertorials’ and sensationalist scaremongering that isn’t backed up with verifiable facts. Quadrant writers are individual thinkers who are not afraid to disagree with and discuss popular views, and the opinions presented are backed up with logical arguments.
The April edition of Quadrant contains an excellent article by David F Smith, titled ‘Green myths about Australian Farming’. David works at Melbourne University, was the Director-General of Agriculture for Victoria, and has worked as a farmer. So he’s well educated and actually does have first hand knowledge of what he’s talking about. That’s not meant to sound patronising – it’s just pointing out how unusual it is. It never ceases to amaze me that most Australians, including journalists, have very definite views on farming, yet most have never even set foot on a farm, let alone been on one long enough to develop a genuine understanding of farming life or agricultural businesses. So finding an in-depth, reasoned discussion is rare – and splendid.
David Smith makes many excellent points in his article, including something that can’t be repeated too often – the natural environment (soil, plants, animals, climate and atmosphere) is in a constant state of change. The environment has never been static and never will be. Erosion is natural and occurs regardless of whether human beings are tinkering with the landscape (it is extreme erosion, resulting from human actions, that needs to be attended to). He makes other good points about comparisions with European agriculture, climate and soils; Australian rainfall and the cause salinity soil problems, but the stand out for me is his point that those blessed with ‘good soils that do not need fertiliser’ are actually mining the soil. If soils aren’t actively being improved then they’re going backwards. While the soil in many parts of Australia is old and relatively infertile, it can be improved through good agricultural practices. Farming in areas with soil good enough to grow crops and run livestock without fertiliser, without actively working to maintain or improve the soil, is living on borrowed time.
‘Green myths about Australian Farming’ is well worth a read.