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Thank you for this comment! People are not considering the basic geology of life. Soil is a valuable resouce and plowing squanders it in dust clouds on the hot days of summer. Also, most field burning occurs on very steep hillslopes where erosion can quickly decimate soil quality. Field burning is a simple, natural practice that is effective.

posted 4 years, 1 month ago
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Field burning is a long established and effective agricultural practice. Plowing the land instead of burning is not always an acceptable alternative. Plowing increases erosion, loss of topsoil, and requires weeks of plowing. After a field burn new grass shoot can return within weeks. I have lived my whole life next to grassseed fields, though I am not a farmer, but would much prefer living with an afternoon of smoke than weeks of plowing.

Oregon is an agriculture state and I grow tired of newcomers moving to the state and complaining. People have moved to the Willamette Valley in great numbers over the years, and then expect us to change our ways. If folks have bad alergies or dislike the smell of smoke in the fall, maybe they should move out of the state to a more urban friendly environment such as Seattle or San Francisco.

posted 4 years, 1 month ago
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