Modern Farms Impact on Nature

August 8, 2025Written by ON Nature

Peel Region farms and woodlots, watersheds, natural systems, habitat, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, natural solutions — Peel Region farms and woodlots © Brian CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Subject: RE: The Costs of Modern Agriculture

I appreciated the theme and content of the summer 2025 issue of ON Nature. As a long time Organic/Ecological,Regenerative farmer I was pleased to see Ray Ford’s article on “The Costs of Modern Agriculture” on page 16.

We need to make farming and ranching part of the solution rather than a big part of the problem. Regenerative farming and ranching practices can actually take carbon out of the air and sequester it by increasing soil organic matter while improving soil health, water infiltration, nutrient density of food and increasing biodiversity below and above the soil.

Two organizations that are working to help farmers in this regard are Farmers for Climate Solutions and the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario.

Thank you for an informative, thoughtful and at times even hopeful issue on Ontario Nature and the efforts to protect and restore it.

Tony McQuail,
Lucknow, Ontario